Underneath alien skies
by Nuredhel
Summary: Thranduil suddenly finds himself severely wounded and he has no idea as to where he is or how he got there. All he knows is that he must have fallen from great height and that he is Close to dying. With no hope left he looks back upon his life and regrets a lot, deeds done and deeds he should have done. Thranduil/OC. Angst and romance, rated M for later Chapters which will follow.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Fallen and found

_True strength may be found_

_Not within the hardened steel_

_Nor within the heart of the wicked_

_Only a humble heart and spirit of light_

_Knows what strength truly is_

He was dying, the thought was very bitter indeed. This was not how he had imagined his end at all, in fact he had never even thought about the possibility of facing death and absolutely not in such a manner. He had been too close for comfort before, for sure, but he had been surrounded by his kin back then. They had helped him and it had been a battle he had fought well aware of the dangers and what he might face. This was different.  
He had never felt more alone in his long life, and alone he was, completely alone. There were nobody there, only the sounds of nature surrounded him and he tried hard to fight the feeling of utter helplessness and fear. Where was he? And what had happened? He tried to blink away the tears that were forming in his eyes, this was so undignified, so downright unjust. There were no honor in this, and would anybody ever know the truth of his demise? Would anyone ever find him? He gasped and choked a sob, probably not. He had no idea where he was, and neither did his fellow travelers. And his son, his beloved son? What would he think and feel? Would he go looking for his father, never finding out what had truly happened to him? The thought was heart breaking, he could see it now, see how selfish and narrow minded he had become. How he had allowed his own fears to slowly choke the very light out of him. He thought he had tried to keep them all safe, but in fact he had tried to stop the world from changing, clinging to a past long gone with every bit of strength that he had. He saw it now, you cannot make the truth go away by pretending it isn't there.  
He was staring up at the stars, it was a very clear night and the cold made him shiver to the bone, it didn't exactly ease his pains. In fact it made everything worse. The stars were unfamiliar, he had never seen those constellations and they were so bright and clear. It was a beautiful sight but it made him feel nothing but a deep sorrow and regret. How long had it been since he had done just this, looked at the stars? He could no longer remember! He had forgotten about small pleasures like that, forgotten to live in order to stay alive. There had been so much to do and think about, he had hidden himself behind his title and duty and never allowed himself real joy. His son was his only pride and the one thing that brought happiness into his heart, he could only pray that this wouldn't be too hard on him. It was true what they said, you do see your life pass before your own eyes before you die. He saw himself as a stranger would and what he did see wasn't at all the man he would have wanted to be.  
His tears were ice cold upon his cheeks, what would he not have given to see his son one more time, to tell him he loved him? But it was too late now, too late for anything. He could only hope that the Gods would have mercy upon his soul. Every time he closed his eyes he expected to open them within the halls of Mandos but he didn't. It was just this place, a rocky riverbed where the cold wind blew relentless and chilled him to the very core. He lay on his back across the boulders, unable to move and he had been there for hours now. The sun was slowly rising and the sight brought new tears to his eyes. It was so very beautiful, he had forgotten what beauty really was.  
He had been too blinded by his own ambitions and his own inner demons to really appreciate anything, he had in fact lost his interest in life and drowned his sorrows and anguish with wine and self-pity. No wonder his people called him foul tempered and tried to avoid him. He had been acting like some spoiled brat, not at all as the noble king he was supposed to be. And now he was paying the price, and a terrible one it was. He was in absolute agony, the pain was worse than anything he had even been able to imagine. It was worse than dragonsfire, worse than any wound he had received. It made him moan in agony and beg the Gods to let him die, he could not handle this, it made him shiver and cry like a child. He knew his back was broken in at least two places, his right arm too and his shoulder and collarbone felt like they had been crushed completely. He had fractured ribs and the increasing difficulty he had drawing breath told him one of his lungs had collapsed. He had been coughing up blood and the taste in his mouth made him cringe. He had more fractures too, his legs were probably broken but the pain was just everywhere, he could not tell for sure. There had to be internal injuries as well, bleedings and torn tissue, he was a real mess.  
He was laying there, slowly dying like some wounded animal trapped within its cave and he could not move an inch even when he tried to. The pain was just too great. The few times he had tried to raise his head he had ended up screaming and the effort was too much. Now he was only waiting for the end, for his final breath. Death would come as a savior to him. As a long lost brother and friend and he only hoped that his son knew how dearly he had loved him. He prayed that he would have a good life, and a fulfilling one. He wished he only could have told him this and spoken the words to his face. But fate had stolen that opportunity from him and it made him close his eyes in sorrow and shame.  
A few yards from him he could catch a glimpse of a couple of horses legs sticking up from behind some huge ragged rocks, the animal had to lay behind them, probably crushed completely and he felt a strange kind of sorrow. It had been a good horse, not his usual one but never the less a proud and brave animal which deserved a much better fate than this. Now it would be a meal for whatever carnivores and scavengers this place held. And he would too, the idea of his flesh being devoured by some unknown beast was beyond terrible. It made him sick to think about it, his people did burn their dead and since elves rarely die of other causes than severe wounds funerals were few. Really, it should not bother him but it did, the dead feel no pain but it was so very disgusting to think about. He had always been a bit vain, tried to look his best and if he ever was to meet his end he had imagined he would receive a proper funeral. The sun was up now, it looked like it would be a truly lovely day, his last he was sure. He could barely breathe anymore and still he did, still his body clung stubbornly to life even if the agony was like fire within his body. He wanted to leave this place behind, to let his spirit fly free so why did he not die? He should have been dead hours ago, not even an elf can survive injuries like the ones he had received. The cold still made every muscle tremble, he was thirsty beyond imagination and his eyesight was failing too. It could not be long now, how he longed to rest. Maybe the world would even be a better place within him in it, he did not know but the idea clung to his mind and offered him little comfort.

The day had started rather well, he had joined some of his warriors in a quest to rid the borders of some rather pesky orcs. There had been some attacks on villages along the edge of the forest and for once he had felt like they had to act upon the threat before it got too close to home. They had found the orcs and slaughtered them, it had been a short and very bloody battle but they had been victorious. Not a single orc had survived and he had been in a good mood, he had enjoyed the thrill of battle and felt like it had been too long since he had seen action. It had made him feel alive again, and he had enjoyed the company of his warriors. He had felt like he did when he was young without a crown upon his brow and without a care in the world. He had felt free. His son was back at home and he remembered the last words they had exchanged. He had spoken to his own son like he would to some servant, to someone who did not matter. It made his heart twist within his chest and filled him with despair and shame as black as pitch.  
They had camped for the night and he remembered that he had enjoyed the tales the others had to tell while they rested by the camp fires. He had forgotten that there was a world out there and these rare moments of peace were indeed precious to him. The next morning they had rode along a river, they were looking for a place to cross and he had been riding a huge grey gelding. His usual horse, a white stallion had gone lame for some reason and he did not want to risk the animal's health by riding it. The gelding was a good horse, fast and willing and he had decided that he wanted to keep it among his private horses. He had been sitting there caught within his own thoughts when something suddenly happened, so fast not even the well trained elven warriors had time to react. Something huge and dark had shot out from the bushes alongside the river and a terrible high pitched scream made the horses rear and buck. It was a boar, a huge male with tusks the size of a short sword, its small red eyes were glowing with anger and malice and it had ripped open the belly of one of the horses before anyone had time to react. The panic stricken horses had been screaming and struggling against their riders commands and the gelding he rode suddenly bolted and started running along the narrow path like it had a dragon chasing it. He had been unable to stop the animal, it had ran like it was possessed and he decided that the best thing to do was to just hang on and allow it to run itself tired. It would slow down eventually and after all it was running in the right direction. He could just wait for his men to catch up with him.  
After a while the horse did indeed slow down, it was gasping for air and sweat covered its broad chest, he had been trying to calm it down completely with some soothing words when something appeared in front of them. Standing right in the middle of the path was a wolf, a great black bitch with glowing yellow eyes. He had time to think that no wolf ever could grow so large and then the horse screamed, a terrible sound that didn't resemble anything he had ever heard from a horse before. He grabbed onto the saddle and then there was a terrible cold and a feeling of falling. He wondered if the horse had thrown him and then there was just darkness and agony.

He was panting, every labored breath pure agony, his head was spinning like crazy and he felt like he was about to vomit but he could not, it would choke him for sure. His tears had stopped flowing, he had no fluids to spare and his body was shutting down. All that was left was regret, all the things he should have done, should have said. It was so bitter indeed. If he only had the chance he would have sailed west as so many others had before him but now that opportunity was lost. He was lost, in more ways than one.  
He suddenly heard something, a sort of distant growl and his fears returned, was this some kind of dangerous animal? He heard heavy footsteps and something was panting, it got closer. Could it be a bear? Or was it something even worse? He was shivering with fear now, he was utterly helpless and any creature with a taste for meat could finish him off as easily as he would behead an orc. Not exactly an end worthy of a king. Although he longed for an end to his agony he didn't want it to happen like that. He managed to turn his head just a little bit, the sheer effort made him groan and it hurt like hell. And what he saw almost made him pass out, it was a monster.  
An animal the size of a very big horse, it looked bizarre as if somebody had mixed a sort of dragon with a kind of feline but it was very graceful and elegant and moved with amazing power and stealth. The head was almost as long as he was and very strange looking with both scales and fur and it had huge lynx like ears with tufts of black hair at the end. The tail was very long too with lots of long hairs at the end and the animal had a color like earth and dead leaves.  
He whimpered, this was a carnivore no doubt and he only prayed that it would kill him before it started to eat. Being eaten alive was as close to a real nightmare as he could imagine right there and then. The animal lifted its head and sniffed, turned its head and saw him, it licked its jaws and he saw that it had some very impressive teeth indeed. They were sharper than a dragons and feline in appearance. It had a lot of them too, and the beast appeared to be hungry.  
It turned and jogged towards him, its tail swinging and head turning from side to side, apparently scanning the surroundings for any rivals to this fresh meal. The beast made a strange noise and stopped right by him, sniffed the air. He was beyond fear now, all he felt was some sort of resignation, then be it. It would devour him and he closed his eyes and whispered a short prayer to the Valar."Please, let it be quick"  
And then he heard a voice shouting in the distance and everything changed within the blink of an eye. "Hey, Frerk, get your hairy ass back here! I don't want you gnawing away at any more dead animals. The last rabbit you ate made you stink for days!"  
The animal whimpered and then it sat up on its rump and pawed the air with its front legs, it looked like a dog begging for scraps. "What is it, what have you found?"  
He wanted to shout for help, to help himself in any way possible but he could not, all he managed to produce was a weird sound which reminded him of a frogs croak. The voice got nearer, it was a female voice and it was very beautiful and yet it told him that the woman who spoke was powerful in some way. It was the voice of someone well used to be listened to and obeyed . "Oh by the goddess, it's a dead horse? What has happened to it?!"

Another voice could be heard, deep and raw and beyond any doubt masculine. "It is completely crushed, like it has fallen from a great height"

The animal swung its tail in frustration and now it made a strange howling noise. He could hear footsteps and then he heard the woman gasp and the man swear, at least it sounded like swearing because he had never heard that language before. He opened his eyes and saw two elves, but they did not look like any elves he had met before. The woman was a stunning beauty with hair like flames and eyes like polished amber. She was tall and strong and far more curvy than most elleths he had met. The man was an even greater shock to behold, he was very tall indeed and his hair long and black, his skin was dark too and he had eyes that were black like pieces of polished obsidian. He looked dangerous, and he felt dangerous. There was an aura of something unspeakable and terrible around this man and he was a warrior no doubt. He carried two stunning elven blades across his back and there were lots of scars visible on his skin. One ran along his cheekbone and disappeared into the mane of wild hair, it had colored a lock of it white. The woman rushed over towards him, she was obviously in deep shock.  
"Oh no, what has happened to this man? He too must have fallen? But from where?"

He tried to speak, managed to cough and blood ran from his mouth again. He had no illusions as to his chances, he was as good as dead. But maybe he could manage to cling to life long enough to give them a message for his son, if they could find him. The woman stared at him with huge eyes. "It is impossible, he is alive!"

The man looked just as shocked. "He is an elf, but that should have killed even one of our kind."

The woman was kneeling down beside him, she grasped his hand and it felt so good it made him want to cry. At least he was no longer alone, he was in the presence of someone who could understand. She stroked his head and got the long silvery blond hair out of his face, it was full of blood and he realized that he had to look absolutely terrible. But she did not seem to care, her touch was fantastic, like the soothing touch of a caring mother. "He is fading, we need help"

The man nodded. "I don't think we can save him, he is too far gone."

She sighed. " Maybe, but we have to try, get Frostbird here and fast, I need her help"

He wanted to tell her that he was beyond help but could not speak, his throat was so dry. The man got up from his crouched position. "Yes my love, I will go get her. She can't be far away."

He felt a bit confused, the woman seemed to be so genuinely good, like a true creature of light and the man was the direct opposite as far as he was able to judge. And yet the two of them obviously were a couple? The woman held his hand again, he tried to grasp it and felt his hand shiver. "Oh you poor poor thing, I know you are hurting and afraid, but fear not, we will help you. I am known as Elywen and he is my soulmate Hawk, I am a priestess for the goddess and he is a weaponsmaster."

He did not know which goddess she was speaking about and did not care, all he wanted was to be able to speak, so he could tell them about his son and tell them what to say to him if they ever met. He moaned and shivered and she placed a hand on his forehead. "You are freezing to death, and are starting to run a fever too. How in the name of everything sacred did you end up here?"

She placed her hands upon his chest and suddenly there were a burst of heat coming from that touch, it heated him to the core and it felt so good he couldn't believe it. She had to be a healer of some sorts. He heard running feet and Hawk came into his field of view together with yet another elleth. She was short and lithe and very elegant and she had long hair the color of silver and eyes which shimmered with green and blue like a deep lake. Behind them he could barely see another man, also rather short for an elf and quite stocky and muscular with a strange face which reminded him of a huge cat somehow. He looked very feral.  
The silvery haired elleth that had to be Frostbird knelt down next to Elywen and stared at the wounded man with disbelief. She could see by his position among the sharp rocks that he was mortally wounded by the fall and she could smell his pain and fear. It had to be absolutely awful, to be lying there all alone knowing that death was inevitable. Elywen grasped Frostbirds hand. " I am not strong enough to stabilize him alone, but if we two join our forces we might be able to save him. At least we can manage to get him safely back home. "  
Frostbird stared at the wounded elf, he was richly clad and there was something about him that told her he wasn't just anybody. Those very beautiful iceblue eyes were pleading, he was desperate and she could understand why. "Easy my friend, relax. Don't worry, we won't hurt you. But we can't move you yet, if we do you might end up paralyzed and we don't want that to happen now do we?"

She smiled gently and that smile was like a whiff of spring air. Hawk made a grimace. "I would not get my hopes up too high. Even Naragh might be unable to patch that guy back together again"  
Elywen just gave him a very determined glance. "If he can't then maybe Rheynek can. Remember, he saved you!"

Hawk sighed. "That was just a reward, because he had served the Gods well that one time. He isn't a healer!"  
She shook her head. " I don't care, I won't let this man die"

She took his hand again. "Now, we are going to ease your pain and give you some strength back. And possibly prevent your fractures from moving any more, to avoid further damage when we move you."

I don't want to be moved he wanted to scream, I just want to tell you about my son. Let me die for I cannot be saved. But the two women held their hands together and the place suddenly got very hot, it felt like the heat of a furnace against his skin and he could see that Frostbirds eyes had turned white, like a milky mist had formed over them. And Elywens eyes reminded him of raw flames, burning and dancing and consuming everything evil and bad. He screamed, could not help it nor stop it. The agony reached a level he barely could believe that anything could survive and then all of a sudden it was gone. He just felt numb all over, like his body was gone. He heard some sickening cracking noises and felt how broken bones were brought back together and he screamed once more, more out of mental anguish than pain. It felt just…just sick!  
He was panting and Elywens hand rested upon his chest, made his breathing easier. He suddenly felt a surge of hope rush through him, with such powers, maybe they really were able to save him? Maybe he could see his son again, redeem himself of his old sins. The two women were sweating and in obvious distress. They were hurting, he could see it and yet they were doing this for him, for a complete stranger! The thought was very humbling indeed, and he felt so very grateful. When they finally let go of him he was freed from the pain but he felt strange, like he was hovering and he was dizzy. Elywen smiled and wiped the sweat from her brow. "He won't die, at least not now. We can get him back home without hurting him further. But he'll need a lot of care and if he lives it will take months to recover, if he ever does."

Frostbird sighed and stroked his long silky hair. " No wonder, I have never seen anybody survive such damage. He has to be incredibly strong and tough!"

He swallowed, was still thirsty but he felt like he could manage to speak again, at least a few words. He clung onto Elywens hand like a drowning man clings onto a lifebelt, managed to produce a few gasping sounds but no understandable speech. Hawk knelt down, he held a small pocket bottle in his hand. "Here, give him some of this, it can't hurt and it might even help a bit."  
Elywen looked at it with narrow eyes. "Is that what I think it is?"

The dark elf nodded. "Yep, Dern's best liquor, strong enough to wake the dead!"

Elywen made a strange grimace but held the bottle towards the elf's lips. "One small sip and nothing more than that, this stuff has a kick like a mule I warn you."

He felt liquid running past his parched lips and swallowed eagerly, she had not been exaggerating a bit. It did really kick like a mule and the taste made him gasp for air but by the Valar, it felt wonderful and the aftertaste was of ripe strawberries and cherries. He sighed with relief and felt better. Elywen supported his head and he felt that he possibly could speak. He gathered his strength and had to close his eyes as to not reveal too much of his emotions. "Please…"

He swallowed hard. "Please tell my son of what happened to me if I die."

Elywen looked at him and her eyes were filled with compassion. " Of course we will if we can, who is he, and what is your name my friend?"

He felt his head spin and knew that he was close to passing out. " My sons name is Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood, I am king Thranduil of Mirkwood. "

And with those words darkness fell over him and he passes out like a candle in the wind. 


	2. Chapter 2

Here follows chapter two of this story. I do of course not own the Thranduil character but the rest of the gang are mine, all of them and a truly remarkable bunch they are, as the poor elven king soon will discover.

**Chapter two: Darkness within**

_There is a darkness_

_Hiding deep within every mind_

_Its ever growing power may consume you_

_Unless you gather your courage_

_And stand your ground_

Elywen was staring at Hawk and her confusion was obvious. "I have never heard of such a place?"

Hawk shook his wide shoulders. "Neither have I my dear but I have a strong suspicion, I don't think he is of our world at all"

Elywen closed her eyes for a second, she looked a bit ashamed of herself "But of course, why did I not come to that conclusion myself. We have seen other worlds, he must come from one that's rather similar to our own."

Frostbird was staring at the now unconscious elf. "He is a king, imagine that? Ok, his clothes are very nice and he has an aura of power around him"

Hawk frowned. "Well, no crown may save him, we have got to get him back home and that has to happen as soon as possible"

The short ellon touched Frostbirds hand very gently. "I'll get Chyun dear, he can't be far away."

She smiled at him and nodded. "It will be tough but I must try, even though I am tired. What of our original mission?"

Hawk just shrugged. "It may wait, those rumors may be just that, rumors. And if there really are some sort of dangerous creatures killing livestock here we can send someone else to investigate."

Elywen touched the man's wrist. "His heart is beating but the rhythm is unsteady and weak, we have to hurry. "

Hawk went over to the carcass of the horse, it had been a very nice animal and he mourned the fact that it was dead, such a magnificent steed. He managed to get the tack of the dead body with some difficulty. The saddle was smashed beyond repair but the rest of the tack was intact and very lovely and well made. It would be a shame to leave it there. The short elf whistled and after just a few seconds a huge feline appeared between the trees, it was the size of a small horse and it purred and rubbed its great head against his chest. Frerk had been sitting there watching everything, now it was obviously impatient and its tail was swinging from one side to the other constantly.

Thranduil was slowly opening his eyes, he was waking up and stared at the strangers with a sense of confusion. He still had no idea as to where he was and how he had ended up there. He gasped when he saw that huge cat and Elywen squeezed his hand again. "That's Chyun, he is a Ziger, he is Khir's companion and friend, just like Frerk here is Hawks."

He stared at Frerk, the animal was licking it's paws just like some huge cat but it looked so bizarre. "What…"

He did not manage to say anything more than that and Elywen smiled, her smile was gorgeous but he did notice that her teeth were rather sharp. "You wonder what he is? He is what we refer to as a dragoncat. That's because we really don't know what he is. It's a long story really, but fear not, he is very intelligent and a good friend."

He kept staring at the animal, he had never seen something like that, not even heard of it. He was gradually starting to realize just how far from home he really was and the though made his heart sink within his chest like some enormous abyss had opened and tried to swallow him. Frerk got up, the ears were perked and it growled. Elywen got up to, in the distance they could hear some strange sounds and Hawk swore. "Damn it, looks like our mission has found us after all."

Elywen sighed. "Well, you guys may go and do what you do best, I'll keep watch over our friend here. Make it quick"

Thranduil felt a shiver run down his spine, the noises were some sort of battle cries for sure and he could not allow that these people put themselves in harm's way just for the sake of his safety. He tried to speak again. "You…you should run away, leave me"

Elywen looked down upon him, there was fierce determination within those lovely eyes. "Leave you? No way! Don't worry, there is little danger. "

Hawk had whistled and Thranduil heard the sound of horses, he managed to turn his head a little bit and saw an amazing steed, a giant brown stallion with thick black mane and tail. It had to be at least nineteen hands in height and it looked like it could outrun even a Mearas. It rubbed it's nose against Hawks wide chest and the dark elf was in the saddle with an elegant floating motion. The other elf who had to be Khir jumped onto the back of the huge cat and Frostbird was already in the saddle of a tall red mare which looked like an ill-tempered and difficult horse. He could hear the sounds again and now he could see what it was that was approaching them. It was some sort of goblins, they were rather small but armed and they were spreading out in a rather well organized fashion. Elywen made a grin that looked a bit ugly. "Enjoy guys, I'll torch those who get by you"

Hawk just shook his head and he had those two long slender blades ready. "None will, I promise you."

Thranduil held his breath, it had to be at least fifty goblins, they were small, shorter than even a hobbit but there is strength in numbers. The huge brown stallion screamed and suddenly it rushed forward, it was obviously a destrier, a horse trained to fight. The ellon on the huge cat was just behind the horse and he had two shorter swords. Frostbird had a bow and she was already firing arrows at the crowd with an amazing speed and skill. Every arrow struck its target and he saw goblins falling with arrows right between the eyes. She had to be an exceptional archer.

The huge horse hit the group of goblins like an avalanche, it was spinning around, kicking like crazy while Hawk took heads, he appeared to really enjoy himself and so did Khir. They both killed with an efficiency that made Thranduil just stunned. He had never seen anyone fight like that before and the goblins turned around and tried to flee but to no prevail. Frostbird lifted her hands and the remaining goblins were all of a sudden covered with a thick layer of shiny ice. It looked quite unreal.

Elywen chuckled. "Such fools, trying to attack us. Well, they had it coming"

The two men returned and Hawk dismounted the huge horse, petted its mighty neck. "Good boy Trollchrusher, you got at least twenty!"

The horse nickered and Thranduil stared at the animal, Trollcrusher? He had a strong suspicion that the horse carried that name because of its capabilities.

He looked at Elywen. "Where, where am I?"

She knelt down and Frostbird did to, she appeared to concentrate her attention on something he could not see. "You are in a different world than your own my friend, this I can tell you for sure. Right now you are within a small kingdom along the coast but we are going to bring you home to our place. We have a great healer there and we might be able to find out why you are here"

He closed his eyes, another world?! How in the name of the Valar would he ever see his son again? He felt a dark feeling of despair rush through him and Elywen grasped his hand again, her touch was so very warm and it did comfort him, a lot. "Don't worry my friend, we'll get to the bottom of this. First of all, we have to save you from your injuries."

He sighed, his hope had flown yet again, another world! Frostbird waved her hands at them. "Get closer together, I can't do this if you are too far apart."

Thranduil felt confused. Elywen smiled at him. "She'll teleport us back to our city."

He was going to say that such things were impossible when it suddenly got very bright around him and he felt like falling again. Much to his own shock and shame he screamed in sheer terror. And the world went black once more.

Frostbird had managed to get them to a small clearing within the woods behind the city and Elywen looked down upon the unconscious elf once more, they should have warned him. Being transported like that could be quite a shock if you are not prepared. Frostbird was exhausted, she was swaying and gasping and Khir embraced her lovingly. Elywen looked at Hawk. "Quick, ride back and get a stretcher, and prepare Naragh for our arrival. Tell him he has a challenge to look forward to, a formidable one."

Hawk turned the giant stallion and disappeared among the trees like a shadow. Elywen touched the elfs neck, counted the heartbeats. He was stabile but it would not last long. Her powers as a healer were limited and she had really no idea as to how this man had survived for so long out there all alone. He had had to be laying there for hours. It did not take long before Hawk returned with some of Naraghs apprentices, a stretcher and some of the other people from their home.

Thranduil was just semi-conscious, he could feel movement, like he was being carried and he caught small glimpses of things passing him by. Strange faces, some huge walls of some kind, sounds that had to be crowded streets, even more walls. It was a strange sensation and everything turned into something that seemed like some sort of dream. It just wasn't real.

He tried to imagine that it all was some sort of illusion, that he really was dreaming and that he was back home in his palace with his guards, his people and his usual luxury. But the attempt failed miserably, he heard shouts in some language he did not understand, there were sharp sounds and he could smell scents he never had encountered before. It made his nose irritated and he tried to scratch it but could not move.

There was a new voice, a human voice and it had to be a rather old man. "Where did you say you found him?!"

Hawk answered. "By the riverbed, it appeared that he and his horse had fallen from quite a height."

Something moved, he felt that he was being lifted off the stretcher and unto a bench of some kind. There was a cool and soft hand touching his forehead. "How could that have happened? Where there any cliffs or something nearby?"

Hawk was obviously shaking his head. "Could he have been lifted by something, a dragon perhaps?"

Thranduil felt his breathing almost stop, dragons? Where there dragons within these realms?

Hawks voice was very calm. "Nope, Elywen would have known if any of her kin was nearby. The only dragon we know of within this area is Ghuad and he is not the type to pick somebody up and drop them. "

The old man huffed. "Well of course not, he is a …shall we say well behaved one?"

Thranduil felt his mind spinning, her kin? Dragons? That was impossible! He could not believe what he had just heard, was he going mad? What kind of nightmare was this really?

The old man touched him, he could feel it, his hands were very gentle but strong and there were obvious knowledge and compassion within every touch. "He is the worst case I have ever seen, I have no idea why he is still alive but I guess that the Gods have their own plans when it comes to this guy, I don't know why they would keep him alive if not."

There was a clatter of something metallic. "I'll sedate him, if he is able to feel any of the things I'll have to do to him it will be torture."

Thranduil felt a surge of panic rush through his body, sedated? He did not want to be sedated! He wanted to be awake, to be able to hear and see and talk. He felt a sudden sting of pain in his left arm and something cold flowed into him and then there was only a peaceful and gentle darkness.

Naragh looked down upon the elf. "He is a king you said? "

Hawk nodded. "Yes, that's what he said."

The old healer shrugged. "King or not, he will need some really dangerous procedures to survive. I think I might be able to save him but he will need a long time to recover. "

Hawk just nodded and smiled at Frostbird and Elywen who entered the room together with the leader of their group. She looked at the elf with astonishment written all over her face. "He is stunning, such beauty, and what a majestic appearance. "

Elywen sighed. "Yes, he is gorgeous, I have never seen this kind of elf before. But I hope he will tell us more if he makes it."

Frostbird placed a hand on the unconscious elf's head, she closed her eyes and shivered. "Oh boy, this poor fellow has got some issues."

They looked at her with puzzled expressions upon their faces. "What? What kind of issues?"

Akisha looked at the silvery haired woman with her normal calm expression but her voice revealed her curiosity. A stranger from another world? She sensed the hand of the Goddess, she had to have something to do with this mysterious elf.

Frostbird cut a nasty grimace. "Guilt, shame, lots of it actually. I sense fear, and greed, and hatred. Damn it's really nasty! And love to, for his son. But I don't think he's got a really good relationship with him. I sense distance, lots of distance. This is one cold, twisted and tortured soul. He is scarred both in mind and soul."

Akisha cocked her head. "I don't see any scars?"

Frostbird sighed, she closed her eyes and moved her hand across his face, underneath it his face changed, appeared to be burned on one side, the skin was gone so naked muscle and tissue lay bare. Akisha gasped and backed away from the gruesome sight and Frostbird made a sad little smile. "It is healed, what you saw was just a memory but to him it is real. I think he has faced some trauma in his time, both mentally and physically."

Elywen shook her head in disbelief. "Poor guy, such a pity. He is so beautiful."

Hawk just grinned at her. "Should I start to get jealous? Jokes aside, a beautiful face may hide a personality which is everything but pretty. We'll just have to wait and see what kind of person he really is."

Naragh gave them all a rather stern look. "And now my friends, leave the room. I need to start working here before it is too late. Frostbird, you may stay if you like. I think I may need your help."

The elf nodded and went over to a basin of hot water to wash her hands. Naraghs little hospital was well equipped, it had to be because of the harsh training that went on in this place. The fights were make believe but still people got hurt every now and then and the trainers were pushing them very hard. The elderly healer started to shout orders to his apprentices who gathered bandages, splints and medicine. Frostbird watched in fascination as the man started to cut away the elf's clothes. They were lovely and beautifully made but had to be sacrificed. No doubt he was someone of importance, she had never seen anything this nice before. Even his small clothes were embroidered and made of the softest wool like material she had touched and he had some very nice knives hidden within the sleeves of his tunic. She admired the excellent quality of the blades and she really believed that he was royalty.

Naragh had carefully removed all of the elf's clothes and he lay there naked. Frostbird felt herself blush, it was rather unusual for her because nudity was just natural to her people. Nobody was afraid of being naked even with strangers around, they had no feeling of shame when it came to their bodies. But this man made her feel embarrassed somehow, if he had been well and awake she would not have felt this way. She knew that it was his very apparent injuries that made her react in this way, it was so unnatural and such a terrible sight. Naragh sighed, he clicked his teeth together and his hands ran over the man's body, she could see several fractures, his right leg had an open one right beneath the knee and she cringed at the sight of the bone sticking out through the bloody and torn skin.

Naragh shook his head as in disbelief. "His body cavity is filling up with blood, probably a ruptured spleen. One lung is collapsed and several ribs are broken or shall we rather say crushed. He has two fractures to his back, probably one to his neck, his right arm is broken in three places so is his right shoulder and his collarbone. I can find one, no, make it two fractures within his pelvis and then we have a broken thighbone and the open fracture. And that is just what I've found so far. Damn, this man looks like he's been through a mangler!"

Frostbird turned around, her face was rather pale. "Oh Gods, how can he be alive?"

Naragh just shrugged. "The Gods have a plan for each and every one of us, I guess they just aren't finished with this guy yet. Thank goodness I have the right equipment and skill, this is going to take hours!"

He opened the elf's mouth, smelled his breath. "Frostbird, come over here, I need your superior nose. Tell me what you smell!"

She did what he told her to, bent down and smelled the man's breath. There was a strange scent there which she could not identify. "It smells like…like I don't know honestly!"

Naragh had a stern expression upon his usually gentle face. "Does it smell a bit like old stagnant water?"

She nodded. "Yes, a bit I guess?"

He swore and touched the man's abdomen gently. "There is a swelling of his liver, and it is not caused by the fall. But it may cause complications later on."

Frostbird was curious. "Swelling? Why?"

Naragh had taken a huge syringe from his arsenal of instruments, now he inserted it into the elf's side and blood started pouring out in frightening amounts.

"You saw a troubled soul, someone with a lot of inner demons right? Well I think that he has been trying to drown those demons in liquor. It takes decades or even centuries for an elf to develop alcohol related injuries but this man has in fact managed just that. He must have been drinking heavily for a long time."

Frostbird just stared at him in disbelief. "An alcoholic elf? That's impossible, we don't develop that kind of problems, we don't get addicted to any substances. "

Naragh nodded. "Yeah, I know, but I am bloody sure that this poor king or whatever he is will go through hell soon. He'll face withdrawals or else you may call me a blue bunny. He can't drink until he is fully recovered."

Frostbird was truly shocked and she felt a deep sensation of both pity and curiosity. What had happened to this elf to give him such serious problems?

The darkness was friendly, comforting even. He felt safe there but the darkness was sliding away and he suddenly stood in the middle of a clearing he knew all too well. It was not far from the palace back home in Mirkwood and it was where the remains of his wife were buried. He turned around, the forest was so silent, it was unnatural. He felt scared, alone, what was this?

He tried to remain calm, on top of the situation but it failed, he felt like some lost elfling again. There was a darkness beneath the trees, and it was terrible and hungry and evil, horrible things were staring at him from it, things which looked at him with both hatred and anger.

He heard a voice and turned around again with a startled gasp. He knew that voice, knew it so well. He stared at the other elf who stood there, he could see straight through him, it was a ghost. He trembled, felt his knees give in. "Ada!"

Oropher stared at him, his eyes were very very sad. "Ion nin, my son, it is not too late, but soon it will be!"

Thranduil felt his whole body shiver. "What are you talking about? Why are you here, what is going on? Please, answer me!"

He was close to tears, so afraid and so confused and the sight of his father, long dead, was such a terrible reminder of a past he had tried to forget. His father raised his arm slowly, pointed toward the forest. "See the darkness? It is hell! And it is where you'll end up if you don't heed my words. Turn around my son. Change from who you have become to who you are supposed to be! Bury the past. Face the future!"

Thranduil gasped, the darkness seemed to get closer to him, it was getting so very cold there and he was shivering all over. "I don't understand?!"

His father smiled, a very melancholic smile. "I did not think that this would happen to you my son, when did you allow your light to fade? When did your fear become stronger than your once so bright and strong spirit? When did you allow the shadows to devour you?"

"I did not, I did not, I swear, father, listen to me, I don't understand what it is that you are talking about!" He could feel tears running down his cheeks and knew his own words were a lie. He did somehow understand, but he had no clue as to what to do about it.

Oropher spoke again. "The Gods are merciful my son. They have given you a second chance to life, don't waste it away. Or else you will lose more than just your life, you will lose your soul and Legolas will be pulled down with you!"

He stared at the ghost with wild eyes. "No, never, I won't let anything happen to him, no!"

Oropher smiled again, a sad smile. "But it will, he will grow bitter and angry and full of hatred, he will become who you are. Like father like son. "

Thranduil was shivering like a leaf in the wind, suddenly he could see someone walking across the clearing, towards the dark forest. It was his son, it was Legolas and he did not seem to see the terrible things hiding within the shadows. Thranduil got on his feet, wanted to run towards him, warn him but he could not move an inch and he roared in fear and desperation. His beloved son did not seem to hear anything, he just kept walking and disappeared among the shadows and Thranduil fell onto his knees again with a choked sob. "No, Gods please, no! What must I do? Tell me, I beg you!"

The ghost of his father seemed to fade. "The answer is easy, heal and thou shall be healed. The moment you realize what I just meant you are on the right path. Farewell my son, I pray you will succeed, that you will face a better happier future Free yourself from the chains you have spun around your soul, open your eyes and see that there is light in this world, that there is hope, and even love. Live for that love my child, and I swear to you, it will be a new beginning."

The ghost was gone and he found himself on his knees, tears running, panting and shivering and dizzy. Light? Love? Those words had lost their meaning to him, how could he possibly redeem his own soul, and that of his son? Darkness swallowed him once more and he allowed it to embrace him with a feeling of deep despair and confusion. Hope? What did that really mean? But he had to find it, if only to save Legolas. He was worth saving, his own soul was probably well beyond rescue now.

Naragh was working through the night, he was a very skilled healer and Frostbird tried to help too as best as she could. Not many in their country would try open surgery but Naragh was one of the few who had the technique and equipment. Bones were reattached with tiny nails, bleedings stopped and even the lung was fixed in the end. But the wounded elf was not out of the woods yet, Naragh feared infections and had the entire body washed thoroughly with boiled water which contained herbs he knew could fight such problems. He had injected the elf with lots of fluids to replace the blood he had lost and had also given a fair amount of pain medication and medicine that would help strengthen him. Frostbird had been shocked by a lot of what she saw, she wasn't used to seeing such things and Naragh was so completely lost within his work he did not notice anything else. They placed splinters to stabilize the broken bones, put bandages on the wounds and then they placed him in a soft bed. Naragh made sure that somebody would be watching him all the time and then he went to bed. He was exhausted. Frostbird went and took a long bath and then she did the same thing. She fell asleep the moment her head hit her pillow and she just hoped that the mysterious elf would still be alive when she woke up. She felt so sorry for him and wanted to help him, the things she had seen within his mind were confusing but heart breaking. There had to be a way to make things right again.


	3. Chapter 3

Oh boy is Thranduil in trouble, but it is not without reasons. He's got quite a lot of skeletons stuffed away in his closet and he needs to get rid of them. Oh it is funny to torture the characters a bit. But do not worry, it is all for the best. So, Frostbird sensed guilt within him, let's see what that was all about.

**Chapter Three: Old truths, old lies.**

When the truth is hidden

Lies and deceit may take its place

Don't dwell within the life once lived

Dare to stare your past in the eye

And cleanse your own soul

It hurt, in fact it hurt like hell. It felt like his body was on fire and he tried to squirm and escape but he could not. He could not move. Panic rushed through him, it was that terrible moment once more, fire was consuming him and he opened his eyes screaming. He gasped for air, tried to move his head but he had some sort of collar around his neck and it stopped any movements. He was terrified and confused and then he remembered. He was still alive, but why?

Then he remembered a dream, a terrible dream and he knew that there was something he had to do, unless his son would perish, become a ghost of his own self. He shivered, tried to see his surroundings. It was a rather small room, the walls were made from stone and there was a fireplace with a good fire going. It had some nice tapestries on the walls, there were no windows and only a door and he felt claustrophobic right away. A thick blanket covered him, it was warm and soft and comfortable, but he felt trapped. He felt tears streaming down his face, the pain, it was terrible. But he could endure it if he only knew how he could save Legolas.

The door opened and an elderly man clad in long white robes entered, he had long gray hair and a gentle but somewhat stern face. Thranduil understood that this was Naragh, the healer. He tried to control himself, tried to maintain his royal superiority but somehow he failed. He had never regarded humans as anything but a nuisance or perhaps useful pawns, he could not think of this man in such a manner. He had saved his life, well at least for now.

Naragh placed his hand on his forehead. "Good, no fever! You are strong my friend, but you could have been even stronger."

He swallowed and the old man lifted his head a bit, very gently and held a cup of something to his lips. He took a sip, it was water, fresh cold water and it felt wonderful. He was so thirsty he felt like he could have drunk an entire barrel of the stuff. He finished the cup and was desperate for more, gasped for air and wanted to reach for it but his one good arm was tied down for some reason. "Easy there now, you cannot have too much yet, your body can't handle it. A little at a time yes, and often."

He looked at the man who lifted the blanket, then he saw his own body and he felt like he would vomit right there and then. He was black and blue all over, there were bandages and splinters and he realized why he was in so much pain. "What have you done to me old man?! And what in the name of the Valar did you mean by what you said, could have been even stronger?!"

Naragh checked the wounds, his face was relaxed and friendly, he looked almost like some sort of gentle old granddad. "I have opened you up and stitched you back together, a rather marvelous job if I may brag about my own work. And as for the things I said, yes you would have been a lot stronger if you hadn't tried to replace your own blood with wine or whatever it is elven royalty is drinking back where you're from. "

He stared at the old man with shock, how did this old human dare to speak to him like that? He was just gasping and Naragh gave him a crooked smile. "Ah, of course, you are a king. You have the right to do whatever you want, even ruin your own body and drink yourself into an early grave. And that is quite a feat for an elf, I'd tell you that. If you had died here and we've had to cremate you I'd guess you would have burned for days!"

He was boiling, if he could have moved he would have killed that insolent old man with his bare hands and then slowly, the true meaning of what he said sank in. "What…what do you mean?"

Naragh sat down, grabbed his hand very gently. "What I am saying is that you were ill even before you fell, heck, you must have felt it somehow. Too much wine over time will harm even one of your race. So no more wine until you are fully recovered!"

He swallowed again, recalled the strange sensation he had had within his upper abdomen, the weird pain that came and went. The old man was right, but he felt how he craved a glass of wine, and craved it intensely. "I… I did hurt, sometimes. "

Naragh just nodded. "As I guessed, but do not worry, it is not too late. If you manage to stay away from the booze you should be ok again."

He tried to nod but it hurt too bad. Naragh picked up a small bottle and uncorked it, let a couple of drops fall into a spoon and held it to his lips. "This will take the edge of the worst pain, I am giving you four times the normal dose of this stuff. To your race it won't do any harm but it would kill a human being."

It had a taste that was just vile and he tried to spit it out but had to swallow. It left a strange comfortable warmth within him and he felt a bit better right away. There was still pain but somehow it did not matter. He sighed with relief and Naragh smiled at him, the smile was very warm and friendly and Thranduil felt a sensation of gratitude. He had never heard of anyone, not even an elven healer, who had been able to do what this old man had done. "I…I thank you, from the bottom of my soul. You have saved my life!"

Naragh grinned and stroked his head, it felt unusual to be touched like that, so gently. He was not used to being touched by anyone, but it felt good. "Well, you are not out of the woods just yet my friend but I say you have great chances. The Gods must have let you survive for some reason."

He nodded, felt his head spin like crazy. He was hungry and still thirsty and he knew he was weak like a toddler and would be for a long time. "I have to save him, my son"

Naragh raised an eyebrow, he looked very inquisitive. "So you have a son, I bet he is a lovely person"

Thranduil felt how desperation threatened to overwhelm him completely. "He is, the best, my light and joy. I can't let the shadows consume his soul"

Naragh sighed. "Of course you won't let that happen, there is nothing one won't do for one's children."

Thranduil tried to smile, tried to be polite and show some good behavior. "Do you have children?"

Naragh shook his head. "Alas, that opportunity was stolen from me a long time ago. I was a slave and my owner had me castrated to increase my value. That's how I ended up in this business. I was working within a harem for some years and learned a lot. I had to take care of the women and make sure they remained beautiful and I liked the job, I mean, who would not?"

There was a glimpse of humor within the old man's eyes but Thranduil found nothing funny about it. He was utterly shocked and disgusted. "Castrated?! By the Gods, you humans are vile! That is horrible!"

Naragh just shrugged. "Yes, we are at times. But I survived and for that I am grateful, I have lived a good life in spite of it. And speaking of women, your son's mother?"

Thranduil went stiff like a board, he was barely breathing. "She… she is dead, a long time ago!"

Naraghs eyes were gentle but there was something within them which told the elven king that this man could see more than the obvious.

Thranduil was shivering, he did not want those memories to return to him but they did, relentless and unstoppable. Naragh took his hand again, he wanted to avoid the contact but he could not. The old man gave him a somewhat sad smile "I can sense your anguish, your pain. We often lose those close to us, those we love. It doesn't make things any easier but I guess it is even worse for your kin to lose a loved one. After all, you are immortal."

He felt it push its way, breaking his barriers down like a battering ram. He could not stop it, it burst through like a flood. "She died, and I did not love her!"

He stared at the old man with huge eyes, where did that come from? Why had he just revealed something he never had told anyone? Something he had guarded deep within like some shameful wicked secret.

Naragh sighed, then he pulled his chair closer to the bed and those old eyes were filled with such wisdom and such gentleness. He suddenly realized that this mere mortal never would judge him, never regard him as a bad person until he was proven otherwise. "I think you'd better explain my friend. I think this is something that has been festering within you for quite a while. There is a reason behind your habit of drinking, there always is. "

Thranduil started to shiver again, he felt trapped and scared and ashamed, so ashamed. This was his worst fear, to be vulnerable and without his normal royal demeanor and arrogance. He was utterly helpless now, like a newborn and he closed his eyes and gasped. Tears were flowing and he suddenly relived everything once more. Naragh held his hand while he was telling the story of the woman he had wed but never truly opened his heart to.

He had been a very popular young ellon and he was rather popular among the elleths, so popular it became a problem. As a prince he could get whoever he wanted and he soon developed a habit of bedding different females each night. He never bothered to sleep with an elleth twice and even though he tried his best to give them pleasure in return for his own he never really cared. It was sort of a duty to prove that he was a good lover, but his heart wasn't involved. He even got caught with married women a few times and his father had to clean up the mess he made and cover up the scandals. He knew that Oropher had paid some of the husbands rather well for their silence and discretion. He had been so careless back then, so free. He had the world in front of him and perhaps he had been both naïve and spoiled in some ways. He saw it as his right to do whatever he pleased to do and did not understand that his actions could have serious effects on others. He soon realized that many females tried to get into bed with him just because he was a prince, they hoped that he would fall for them and one day make them queen and he played with their plans and schemes while he was secretly disgusted by their advances. Oh he did desire them, he had strong urges like most young men and perhaps he was even a bit more hot blooded than most but it was all for the physical pleasure. He never shared his thoughts or his heart with anyone. Soon he no longer cared that much if they really agreed to bed him, he tried to have his way with a few elleths who didn't want him and that was when his father had to intervene and stop him before he did something really stupid that would cost him both his honor and his life. He had started to despise women and at the same time covet them and that mixture was very dangerous.

He had been in utter shock when Oropher told him that he was going to be married, to the daughter of a rather prominent member of the elvish nobility. He had been furious, so enraged he had called his father terrible things but Oropher had never lost his temper, not even once. He had calmly told his son that this was something he could not talk or charm his way out of. And he also gave Thranduil a long and very serious lesson in what it meant to behave like a gentleman and what honor really was. He had opened his son's eyes and made him realize what he really had been doing, and what he had become. Others were laughing behind his back, claiming that not even the stallions within the royal stable did as much mounting as him. He felt ashamed of himself, he saw how deeply he had hurt others and all just for the pleasure, and for the right to brag about his sexual conquests among the other ellon. He had become superficial, indifferent to the emotions of others.

His father did comfort him, and he was forgiven due to his young age but the wedding plans were not changed. He swore to himself that he would act like a prince should from that day on, he would not even look at another woman once he was married. And then the day came and he met his bride for the first time, arranged marriages weren't really that usual among their kin but everybody knew that this alliance was needed and useful. He had been a bit confused by his own emotions by the sight of her, or rather, the lack thereof. She wasn't plain, far from it, but he couldn't see her as anything different than the other women he had been with. She on the other hand was in love with him, head over heels. He tried to be nice to her, tried to make her feel cared for and safe but he did not love her. Not even a bit.

Over time he got used to her presence, she was very quiet and yet she was a rather efficient person who made sure that everything within the household was perfect. She was really the perfect wife, hard-working, honest, humble and modest too. He should have been happy, everybody told him she was such a gem but he never saw her that way. At times he thought that he hated her, and that thought filled him with dread and shame.

Years passed by, he visited her bed on a regular basis and did his best to please her but he just wasn't involved emotionally. She was just there, easily available and she always let him have it his way. She was hopelessly boring in bed and he started to regret his own promises. He had no respect for her, whatsoever.

And then many years after the wedding it happened, she came to him filled with joy and told him she was with child and the world changed forever within that second. He had not even thought about the possibility of a pregnancy since it never had happened before and he had bedded hundreds of elleths. He had been in utter shock and slowly and very reluctantly he had realized that it was time for him to grow up and act like an adult. He had started to like the idea of becoming a father, and slowly he forgot about his selfish ways and started to care more about the people around him. She went into labor early one morning in spring. And for the first time he saw her, really saw her for who she was and what she had been to him. He had been so unjust, so terrible towards her. She had dedicated her entire being and life to becoming a perfect spouse to him and he had never even cared, not even once. He had taken her for granted.

And when he held his son in his arms for the first time he knew that he had been a poor man until that moment, nothing could compare to this. He was happy for the first time in a long time and he know knew what it meant to truly love somebody more than yourself. He proved to be an extremely dedicated father and his own father was deeply relieved by the change in his son. Thranduil loved Legolas more than life itself and there wasn't anything he would not do for his infant son. He was the most wonderful thing in the world and the entire kingdom saw his joy and shared it. And she did too, she was gleaming with joy and he tried to be more involving towards her. He tried to like her and at times he knew she was a friend, perhaps his very best friend even but he never saw her as more than that. And then it all changed and he was left a widower with a young son.

Naragh was watching the beautiful face, contorted by feelings long hidden and suppressed. "What happened?"

Thranduil was sobbing, he was left with his emotions open and raw like a wound and he could not control them. "I should have kept away from her, I should never have touched her again. I had an heir! It should have been enough!"

Naragh sighed. "But you could not right? Even with an heir you still had your urges?"

Thranduil closed his eyes and Naragh gently wiped away the tears that were flowing down into his long silky hair. This elf was incredibly beautiful on the outside but an emotional wreck!

"Yes, oh Gods I am so sorry!"

He gasped and wanted to hide, to sink into a deep black hole or something but something outside of himself compelled him to continue. "She did welcome me back into her bedchamber, but I don't think she would have said no even if she was unwilling. And then she became pregnant again, we could hardly believe it. It was unheard of among our kin. Our son was less than a year old and she was already on her way with number two. "

Naragh had a strange almost melancholic look within his eyes, he already saw where this was heading. The elf gasped and his lower jaw shivered, he looked incredibly young where he lay but Naragh knew he probably had seen several millennia. Immortality had to be both a blessing and a curse. The old healer felt how his compassion made his heart swell, maybe this elven king had done stupid things in the past, maybe even things that were wicked or downright evil but right now he was wounded, hurting and vulnerable. He deserved respect and care, not condemnation. Thranduil felt his heart thundering within his chest, his body hurt like crazy but it felt right, he was rightfully being punished for his sins. He deserved it, every broken bone. He gasped for air and Naraghs hand was there again, stroking his brow with a wet cloth.

"When Legolas was born it went very well, she did not have to struggle a lot, it was an easy birth. We were both so excited, so happy! I guess I was too proud, too sure of the future. We had it all planned. "

Naragh had a strange grin upon his face, it looked bittersweet. "Fate will sometimes trick you, turn against you when you least of all expect it."

Thranduil made a strange noise. "By the Valar it did, she was in such agony Naragh, she suffered! And it lasted for days, I could not believe it! And then she died a most horrible death and the last thing she told me was that she loved me, and I could not say those same words back to her, not without lying. She died unloved Naragh, with our unborn child. What fate could possibly be more cruel? It was my fault! I killed her!"

He was sobbing like a child now, shivering and completely out of control. Gone was his usual arrogance and cool personality.

Naragh sighed once more and petted him on his shoulder. "Thranduil, listen to me and listen to me well. Women do die in childbirths all the time, it is the most common death among females, it is sad but a fact. It is dangerous business bringing new life into the world, and I have seen it happen dozens of times."

Thranduil looked at the old healer with a sad expression within his eyes, they were a bit bloodshot now. "Really?"

Naragh nodded. "Hell yes, it is always a tragedy and never anything else than terrible but I can tell you one thing for sure. Not one of those women I have tried to help and save has blamed their husbands for their sad end. Not one! They were all happy they carried a new life, and they accepted their fate."

Thranduil could not look the old healer in the face, he felt so ashamed. "But, if we hadn't…!"

Naragh was rolling his eyes. "You are a stubborn one aren't you? When she found out she was pregnant, was she unhappy? Did she weep, blame you, curse you? Did she in any way indicate that she didn't want that baby?"

Thranduil looked shocked. "No, she was overjoyed, we both were! She wept with joy"

Naragh nodded. "Of course she did, and I am sure she never even once felt regret, not even when she died. Women are so much stronger than men, we are just too arrogant and stupid to see it."

The elf looked a bit confused but then he nodded. "You are right, they are. But if I only had loved her back the way she loved me…"

Naragh shook his head, he looked as if he really didn't know whether he should scold the elf or cry with him. "My friend, I am sure she was aware of your feelings or lack thereof, women always are. Compared with females we males are emotionally crippled. But I am also bloody sure that she was happy just to be with you, to be your wife and the mother of your son. She loved you goddamn it. To a woman like her that would have been enough, she doesn't seem to me like the kind of woman who demands anything from her spouse except from the privilege of being near him. You gave her a child Thranduil, and I am sure she was never so happy in her life as she was when she was with you. How can you blame yourself for that?"

The elf was staring at the old man with a strange expression upon his face. "I…I have never seen it like that before."

Naragh grinned and wiped away more tears. "See? You have been punishing yourself for something which never was your fault. I think you acted very honorably, some men in your situation would have sought their pleasure elsewhere but you stayed true to her."

Thranduil scoffed. "Of course, I would never dishonor her in such a manner!"

Naragh petted his shoulder gently. "Know what? I think you are a good man at the bottom, it just takes some digging to bring him out. Rest now, and contemplate what we just have discussed. I think you will see things from a new perspective from now on."

He filled the cup with water again and the elf drank greedily. Naragh grinned to himself, the snowball had started rolling, only time would tell if they could unveil all of this poor man's problems and rid him of them. There was yet much more hidden behind that perfect beauty, much much more. Thranduil felt tired to the very bone, it was uncomfortable to just lay there immovable but he fell asleep and Naragh tucked him inn. It would take weeks before he could move even a bit, he would be weak as a child for a long time. There would be time enough to unravel this mystery, more than enough time.


	4. Chapter 4

He is making progress, the issues with his wife's death are solved but what about the hatred he has stored up within? Can somebody help him get to the bottom of those feelings? Perhaps teach him a lesson or two? This could get interesting in deed, I think the elven king is gonna be told a story dark enough to scare the daylights out of a troll. But it is all for his own good, he can't hope to save his son if he cannot first save himself.

**Chapter Four: Out of the ashes**

What's left of a strength which have crumbled

Whats left of a soul without hope

There are things that can't be unbroken

There are things that can't be undone

Akisha was sitting next to Naragh and she was listening to his voice very carefully, she expected a report on the elf's condition and progress every morning and Naragh never failed her. The elf was getting better, it went slowly but he would survive. But it was not easy being in the same room as the king, he was moody, grumpy and sometimes he was downright nasty. He was demanding wine and swearing and shouting in his own language when they did not give him what he wanted. Naragh knew he suffered, the need for alcohol was stronger even than his own will and he had suffered complete breakdowns a couple of times. Naragh had been there for him, told everybody to leave the room. He sensed that the shame of knowing that strangers had seen him like that could be too much for him. Thranduil had been crying like a child one moment and then snarling and cursing like some wild animal the next. Sometimes he was filled with self-pity and then he got a grip of himself and tried to appear brave and optimistic. And he was bored, almost out of his scull or so it seemed. Naragh knew that it wasn't very healthy so he had tried to entertain their guest with books and stories.

He had explained about this place and the people who lived there, Thranduil had been shocked at first until he understood that the gladiatorial fights were fake and acting. He was curious about the weapon masters and Naragh had spent an afternoon explaining the ways of the very exclusive group. To fight evil and protect people was after all their main task and Thranduil was really eager to see how these people were training. He had witnessed Hawk in action and Naragh could sense how the dark elf had impressed and scared the king. Naragh had a strong suspicion that Hawk perhaps could be able to reach Thranduil in a way the healer could not. Thranduil was a warrior at heart, brothers in arms often share a special connection and Naragh hoped that Hawk would agree to his plan.

Akisha had spent some hours explaining about the Goddess and her religion and teachings and also what she and the other priestesses were doing and Thranduil had gradually developed a sense of respect and even awe towards them. They were so incredibly powerful and wise and Akisha impressed him the most. She was born as a mortal human being, inferior to his race and yet he felt like he was the weak one when she sat there speaking to him. There were oceans of wisdom within those strange blue eyes and a fierce and untamed spirit which kindled his curiosity. There were things about her that were inhuman and it scared him a bit but it was also tantalizing. She was a stunning beauty but it was a rather cold and unapproachable kind. He had no doubt that she was a very dangerous being indeed. When she spoke you just had to listen, her voice was like a sharp sword wrapped in velvet and her authority undeniable and absolute. You bowed to her or you would regret it and he soon learned that even the kings of this realm possessed less power than the warrior priestesses and their mates.

Gradually he started to forget about his royal way of being, he did no longer try to command Naragh or the servants and he accepted being given orders. He could not move yet but they had steadied him so he could sit with his upper body in a raised position and it felt so nice he almost wept. He remembered the nightmare he had had, heal and thou shall be healed, he had no idea what his father had meant with that. He could only hope that the truth would reveal itself to him, sooner rather than later. He tried to behave as he should, with gratitude and a humble heart and it became increasingly easy but his withdrawals were bad some times. He craved wine so bad he was sweating and screaming for it and it hurt like fire. Naragh had sedated him again a few times just to save him from the worst effects.

When he was dreaming he often dreamt about his son's childhood and his youth, how different everything had been back then. He longed for those days to return, for his son to trust him once more. He had to find a way to reconnect with him, to bridge the abyss he had allowed to form between them.

Akisha had went to the temple and there she had meditated and asked the Goddess for guidance and advice. It was rather obvious that she had something to do with the whole thing, he had told her he saw a black she wolf just before he was ripped away from his own world and the goddess never showed herself in her wolf form to anyone unless there was something she wanted them to do. They just had to wait and see but she felt that they could and should help him somehow, they all had their different experiences. Naragh had already helped the elf come to terms with his wife's death, he had now accepted that it wasn't his fault, that it didn't matter whether he had loved her or not and that she would have died anyhow. But there was still a lot of darkness within him and it needed to be released. Naragh had his own ideas as to how that could happen and Akisha agreed. The goddess had placed him in their path so they could help him heal, each in their own way.

Thranduil had been reading books and studying maps, it was very interesting and yet he felt like he had ants crawling everywhere. He hated being so helpless. He could use his left arm and move his left leg a bit but he was still in a lot of pain. And there were things he just could not do himself and it was very humiliating. Naragh washed him, all of him and Thranduil felt so ashamed he wanted to hide. And then it was the natural functions of the body, he had to use a sort of wide necked bottle when he had to do his business, luckily he didn't eat much and his body did not produce much waste but it was even more embarrassing whenever he had to go. Naragh had a very natural and relaxed attitude and that helped a lot but it still felt weird and unnatural. He had always been able to take care of himself and he realized that this too was a lesson he had to learn. He had to learn how to be humble, how to accept that not everybody was as strong and perfect as his own kin. He remembered his own flaws and mistakes and he remembered the many times he had acted in a less than noble manner. He had allowed prejudice and pride to blind him, he had been filled with his own haughty self and his own perception of the truth and never allowed anyone to tell him he was wrong. It was such a shameful revelation.

Then one morning he woke up to find Hawk sitting by the fireplace, the dark elf was tending to the fire and smiled when he saw that Thranduil was awake. Thranduil swallowed, Hawk made him nervous, just by being there. The dark elf had an aura of violence that was terrifying and yet he had seen how lovingly he looked at Elywen and Thranduil knew that he couldn't be all bad. Hawk gave him a glass of water and some fruit and the elven king thanked him with a bit of a tremble in his voice. He saw that Hawk was shirtless, his naked upper body was covered with scars almost everywhere, it looked as if someone had tried to draw a roadmap on the dark skin with white paint or something. Hawk had an amazing physique, Thranduil had never seen a more muscular elf. And to his embarrassment he felt a little jealous, Hawk was impressive and dangerous and yet beautiful in a disturbing way. Thranduil had never been one of those who felt attracted to other males but if he had been he was sure he would have been drooling. It was a dangerous beauty, like that of a well-balanced sword and he remembered how the dark elf had been fighting. It was poetry in motion, terrifying to behold and yet mesmerizing. You didn't really want to see but you felt compelled to. It was like watching an accident happening, looking away was impossible.

Hawk grinned and sat down, stretched his long legs and pointed at the book Thranduil had left on the bedside. "Anything interesting?"

Thranduil shook his head. "No, not really. Why are you here?"

Hawk yawned. "Naragh had to go to the market to pick up some more herbs, and I was available. They tell me you are getting rather bored in here? No wonder, I would have gone insane a long time ago!"

Thranduil nodded. "It is worse than the pains, I am not used to this, not being able to move about. Damn it is frustrating."

Hawk gave him a crooked grin. "Ah, I'll advice you to enjoy it, a little peace and quiet before the storm. Once you have healed you will have to start training again and believe me, here you will find no mercy. They will push you and push you even more. But I can promise you that you will emerge from it all stronger and more fit than ever before."

Thranduil cut a grimace. "Everything is better than this, I am dying for some action!"

Hawk was leaning back into his chair. "Speaking of action, I am curious. Been in any battles?"

Thranduil nodded, he felt a bit nervous but he was damned if he showed his anxiety to a warrior like Hawk. He had to show that he was a force to be reckoned with, it was perhaps a bit of masculine pride involved. "Yes, I have. A few, and a lot of minor fights against orcs and spiders and such."

Hawk cocked his head. "Huge battles?"

He nodded, remembered the one which claimed his father and left him as the new king of Mirkwood or Greenwood as it still had been known as. He had felt so unprepared and so scared, and filled with grief. He had never even imagined losing his father in that way and he could now see that the loss had been the beginning of his downfall. He had become overly protective of his son, his people, well of everything. "Some, but we have won so far."

Hawk smiled. "You look like a warrior, you have a good body for fighting, but you must have let yourself go for a while, I can see that. Were you any good?"

Thranduil coughed, this dark elf went straight for the throat. "Yes, I was a very skilled warrior!"

He said those words with every ounce of self-respect he had left but they rang hollow even to himself. Hawk stared at him, the pitch black eyes told nothing of what the elf was thinking, it was rather spooky and he could not comprehend how someone as lovely as Elywen could be mated with a creature like this.

Hawk knew of the things Frostbird had seen and he had understood a bit of this elf's past. No doubt he had been skilled, possibly a master even with his weapons. He must have had a lot of self- confidence and pride. And when everything he believed in and put his trust into failed him it all had shattered beyond repair. His voice was deceptively calm when he spoke again. "And then you got burned and lost your confidence right?"

Thranduil gasped, his eyes were huge with shock and he touched his face on a pure reflex. Hawk saw the pure horror within the lovely iceblue eyes and shook his head slowly."Frostbird showed us, don't worry, the secret is safe with us. "

Thranduil trembled, this place would leave him without a single secret left, he was sure of it!

"Yes, yes, it was a…a dragon!"

Hawk whistled, it was a tone within it that told the elven king that he was impressed. "A dragon, damn, that's rather brave. I would never attempt that."

Thranduil felt a little better, a bit of pride grew within him and he tried to remain calm. "It was threatening my people, I had to do it. It killed many of us but we got it in the end."

He looked down, a question had been brewing within him for a long time. "Ah, I heard you and the others speak when I was brought here, there are dragons within this world? And you mentioned kinship?"

Hawk nodded. "Yes, my mate Elywen is of the first people who took the form of dragons and made it their own. She can shape shift into a dragon if she wants to but she cannot remain in that form for more than a couple of days at the most. Her kind is very powerful indeed and very fierce. Ghuad is of a different type of dragon, they were created by Elywens race way back in time, to aid them in their battles. He can choose to look like a human being or elf but it is not his true form, the dragon shape is. He cannot stay out of it for more than two weeks and the longer he is disguised as a human the longer he has to remain in his true form before he can shift again."

Thranduil was stunned by this information. "Dragons back where I am from are just that, dragons. Wicked and evil and very devious. "

He swallowed hard. "I think the last one died some years ago, it was killed before the last battle I fought. Against an evil force which is steadily spreading once more I fear."

Hawk looked curious and Thranduil tried to keep a calm expression on his face, it was after all of that things went downhill with his son. He should have allowed him to marry her, he really should. His own stubbornness and ignorance had cost him his sons trust and affection. "I hated those beasts."

Hawk nodded. "Understandable, Frostbird sensed a lot of hatred within you."

He gave the dark elf a rather menacing glance. "So what? I have had good reasons to hate."

Hawk just grinned, a grin that was terrifying to behold. "Oh I do not doubt that, too bad it is your own person you hate the most. Why!"

The last word was a command, not a question and suddenly he had the dark elf so close to his face their noses almost touched. He stared into those cold black eyes and felt chilled to the bone, he had never felt so terrified by any of his own race before. "I, I…I was a coward!"

Hawk almost purred. "Ah, there you go, let the load of your shoulders my friend."

Thranduil shivered, he was so ashamed of himself, he had been too afraid to reveal his fear and it had made him act irrational and in a less than royal manner. "I should have helped them, we had an alliance. But when the dragon came and claimed their realm I did not dare to intervene. I was too afraid. And I was so jealous of their wealth and riches too, I wanted them for myself. I craved them, coveted them. It all seems so hollow now."

Hawk raised a perfect eyebrow. "And then?"

The elven king sighed. "The dragon kept its treasure for many years, and I dreamt of it, wanted it. I wanted the beautiful white gems hidden within that mountain. And I hated the dwarves for not letting me having them before the dragon came and laid claim to them. And then the dwarves came to reclaim their home, there was a lot of commotion, fighting and the dragon was brought down eventually. There was a battle and we managed to patch the alliance back together again but I still don't feel like I can trust dwarves. And the ancient enemy of ours was defeated once more but not eradicated, not entirely. I am afraid that evil is growing in strength again, and this time he will not let anyone stop him. "

Hawk just nodded. "There is more bothering you my friend."

Thranduil sighed, he closed his eyes and felt very tired all of a sudden. "Yes, my son developed feelings for a woman of my people, but I deemed her unworthy of him and sent her away. He has never been able to forgive me."

Hawk shook his head. "Owtch, but fear not, I am sure things will sort themselves out once you reunite."

Thranduil felt his eyes burn. "If we ever do!"

Hawks eyes got very narrow. He knew the disease which had been gnawing away at this elf's soul, it was a condition he had seen before in men who had lost faith in themselves and their own abilities. In order to hide and forget that they turned to other things instead and became obsessed with it. He had a feeling that Thranduil had chosen greed and he was pretty sure he was right to. The mentions of white gems told him that. "You will, believe me. Love is stronger than anything else, and the love between parent and child in special."

Thranduil just sighed. "I pray you are right. I have to save him from becoming the same kind of man that I have been until now. I have been blind to everything except myself. I have tried to pretend that the rest of the world outside of my realm didn't really exist."

Hawk smiled slowly. "But now you have seen the truth, and laid the lies aside, right?"

The blond elf just nodded.

Thranduil threw a quick glance at Hawk again, he noticed something odd. The dark elf had a lot of scars but one was different. It was just a thin white line on his chest, right above the heart and he swallowed. Hawk noticed what Thranduil was staring at and grinned, the grin was cold and ugly and it made the elven king cringe. "Curious? I can see that you are. Well, I'm gonna tell you how I got that one, but the story is a nasty one. But maybe you'll learn a little about the true nature of hatred."

Thranduil did tremble, it was something so horrible within Hawks deep hoarse voice, a harbinger of darkness and evil on an almost unbelievable level.

Hawk leaned back once more, his eyes became distant and hard. "I was a wild one from the day I was born I guess, I was a loner and drifter, I trusted nobody and nobody trusted me. I was trouble and everybody knew it."

Thranduil suddenly felt a sort of kinship with the dark elf, he too had been a rather wild one. Hawk sighed. "And then I met her, the woman who tamed me, told me what love was. And I was complete and whole for the first time in my life."

Thranduil bit his lower lip. "Your soul mate?"

Hawk shook his head. "No, although I was sure she was. We had one year together, one single year. If she had been my soulmate we would not have had this conversation now. The loss would have killed me for sure. And it almost did anyhow."

Thranduil felt sorry for the dark elf, he really truly did and it was such a new experience, empathy. "What happened?"

Hawk sighed, closed his eyes. "I was out hunting, was gone for days, When I returned….a horde of orcs and trolls had raided the village. They had slain most of the inhabitants and those who weren't killed on the spot were brought along for entertainment and food. My wife was among them, she was pregnant and not very strong."

Thranduil gasped in horror, the orcs within this world had to be a heck of a lot worse than even the ones he was used to. Hawk met his gaze, the black eyes were burning. "I asked the other elven tribes for help, they denied it. They could not risk any more lives, not to save just a few. So I went looking for her on my own. And I found her, deep within the orc caves. They had cut her Achilles tendons to prevent her from fleeing, I got her and fled but it was too late."

Thranduil looked shocked, he feared to hear the rest but felt like he had to. "Too late?"

Hawk nodded slowly. "She was dying, her wounds too severe and we had the orcs chasing us. I knew that we could not survive, not the both of us. And so I ended her suffering with my own dagger and gave her body to an underground river so they would not desecrate her."

Thranduil was staring at Hawk with eyes as large as teacups. "You killed your own wife?!"

Hawk nodded calmly. "Yes, to save her from further torture. And I started to kill orcs, became a one man army. I hated those beasts so bad I went on a killing spree for years. I did not care about anything else, all I wanted to do was to avenge her. I never mourned, never allowed my wounds to heal. I kept my pain alive so I had an excuse for doing what I did best, killing. I loved it, it was everything I felt back then, an everlasting burning hunger for more blood, more death. I was death incarnate and did not care about myself or anyone else. I was dead Thranduil, my people used to say that an elf with only hatred left within his heart is a walking dead. The soul has flown but he isn't yet aware of it himself."

Thranduil cringed and shivered, this was beyond terrible but he believed it, every single word. He could almost see how this dark elf would have been fighting like some mad demon. He was glad he hadn't seen it.

The dark elf shrugged. "Remember this Thranduil, revenge is a sweet poison, once you have tasted it you will crave it again and again, more and more of it. But it will slowly devour you until there is nothing left except an empty shell of who you once were. I was so possessed by hatred and the need for vengeance I became worse than the orcs who killed her, much worse. Hatred and vengeance is like cancer, it can hide for a long time and cause you to suffer for even longer and eventually it will kill you for sure. It almost became the end of me."

Hawk sighed once more, looked down. "And then I made a mistake, my final one I was sure. I did not care if I died as long as I could take as many orcs with me as I could and in my berserker rage I was surrounded and one got me."

He touched the weird scar, almost lovingly. "I was skewered on a spear, it went straight through me and they left me for dead. Hell, I was dead for a while. But the goddess appeared and healed me, she gave me my life back and demanded my skills as a warrior in return. And I gladly accepted as long as I could kill more orcs. And so I did for several years and with her powers within me I was even more dangerous than before, unbeatable and cold as the heart of a glazier. I had no heart, no feelings and no thoughts except the need to kill."

Thranduil now knew where the dark elf got his strange aura from, he had been a servant of death, one of its many reapers. No wonder he made others back away in fear. "And then?"

Hawk smiled. "I met Elywen, she was a terrible sight back then, scarred by a gruesome disease and I wanted to prove myself by getting her to her destination alive. The goddess demanded it off me. My soul was just as terrible as her looks and believe it or not, I started to care about her. I had to watch her transform into who she is now and it was horrible, her pain was terrible to behold. She gave me my heart back and my soul with it. She made me whole again, made me complete."

Thranduil had to smile, a very shivering smile. "That's almost romantic"

Hawk nodded. "She is the life in me now, my light and guiding star. I would gladly die for her. I hope you one day will meet love like that, the soul is never complete until it does"

Thranduil actually felt like blushing. "Ah, I have never believed in love, I have never met anyone who made my heart sing so to speak. I don't think there is someone out there meant just for me."

Hawk snickered. "Oh but there are, be sure. That one person could be walking straight into your life when you least of all expect it, and then everything will change."

Thranduil just made a rather embarrassed smile. Hawk got back on his feet. "I'll leave you in peace, Naragh will be pissed off if he sees me exhausting you with stories of my past. Let it serve you as a lesson, it is never too late to turn back and become someone new. Heck, I was terrible, so devoured by darkness I don't think even hell would have wanted me if I had died. It was actually hell I was living in and I don't wish that fate upon anyone, not even my worst enemy."

Thranduil nodded slowly, he could understand and he had gotten something new to think about. Obsession, it was a sin of which he had been guilty too, and hatred was also a well-known emotion to him. He had been shown the truth and not a minute too early. He would rather die than becoming anything near what Hawk had been. The mere idea made him sick and terrified. He felt tired and so he fell asleep soon after Hawk left. He dreamed of when he taught Legolas how to ride and the memory was such a dear and precious one to him. He smiled in his sleep, he did not see the she wolf which sat by his bed for a short while. She smiled, he was on the mend, but there were still pieces missing to the puzzle. He was healing but he also needed to heal, and soon he would meet yet another stranger. And if everything went as she hoped it would he would never again be the same. She would meet the fair elven woman again and tell her of his progress, she would be very pleased indeed. She apparently cared deeply for this elf and why not, he was quite special.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Love, well that is quite a remedy, it can heal many a hurt. Thranduil doesn't really believe in it, but he'll have a lesson to learn also on this subject. This chapter is most definitely M due to language and some sexual situations. Nothing really smutty but… You have been warned. Oh, and here he'll tell the embarrassing story of his first kiss, and he will meet a very special person, he doesn't know it yet but she will change everything. Ah and yes, he is a klutz when it comes to females, much to his own horror.**_

**Chapter Five: A tale of hearts.**

Straight out of the mist

Right out of the darkness

A shimmering light may appear

Follow that beacon, heal the wounded heart

And you will know peace once more.

He was making progress, in fact he was healing so fast Naragh only scratched his head in disbelief and shook his head. He did no longer crave for wine all the time, in fact the idea of drinking almost disgusted him. The pain was almost gone and he could sit up in bed and even move a little. They put a sort of corset around his upper torso to stabilize his back just in case and he was given some strange contraptions made to strengthen his arms. They were shaped like small balls made of metal with a handle on them and he was told to lift them whenever he could, at least ten times in a row. He was furious at first, lifting metal balls? What did they think he was? Some clown? An elfling with yet no strength? And then he tried to lift them and realized that someone had stolen his muscles, or at least it felt that way. He could lift them, for sure, but after ten repetitions his arms felt like jelly. He felt embarrassed and ashamed of his anger and apologized to Akisha's husband Raigh who had taken it as his task to get the elf back in shape. Thranduil was seriously impressed by the huge man, he had always been the tallest one around but he was more than two inches shorter than Raigh and Hawk was perhaps an inch taller than him too. He did notice something weird though, if Hawk hadn't been an elf he and Raigh could have been twins, they were so alike it was spooky. Raigh was a perfect physical specimen, so strong and elegant he appeared more like one of the very best elven warriors than a mortal human and Thranduil started to really believe what he had been told of the training these people had to go through.

He was willing to push himself, he wanted to get out of bed and start training so he could return home. Akisha had spoken with the goddess and been promised that someone would come who could get him back home, but not until he was ready for it. And only the Goddess knew when that moment would come. After a couple of weeks Naragh started to massage him every day to prevent his muscles from getting stiff and sore, it felt like hell the first times and he snarled at the old man more than once but he understood the necessity of the procedure and started to enjoy it after a while. Naragh massaged every one of the weapons masters and their partners and some others who lived there too. The people who performed in the shows were taken care of by his apprentices but he had the eyes of a hawk and could see even the smallest injury or flaw right away. Naragh praised his physique and beauty and it made him feel a little proud of himself again but with so many magnificent people around him he was thoroughly robbed of his previous superior attitude. He met Rheynek who was the goddess own hunter, a strange man with white hair, the eyes of a cat and a stunning appearance. He was born to hunt vampires and could move so fast even an elf would seem slow in comparison. He also met Rhylja who were a priestess for the Hunters God, and she scared the living daylights out of him when she demonstrated how she could break even thick logs with just a kick or hit.

Akisha came to him one afternoon, he had been training with the weights the entire day and he felt how his strength was returning. She was smiling and she was pushing a strange contraption in front of her. It was a chair with wheels on it and he stared at the thing with one part shock and one part reluctance. "I am not going into that thing, I am no cripple damn it!"

She grinned and those beautiful blue eyes were extremely determined. "Oh but you are, at least for now. I thought you might want to take a look at this place?"

Suddenly he felt excitement rush through him, everything was better than staring at these walls, like he had for weeks. He was so bored he thought he would go insane "Yes, yes, I want to, please!"

Akisha grinned and got one of the apprentices to help her lift him into the chair. He felt weird, it was humiliating and far below his dignity but he clenched his teeth together, he would endure even this if he could escape the room. Akisha knelt down in front of him and stared him straight into the eye, her gaze looked very serious. "Thranduil, back home where you are from you are a king, and I am sure everybody would do everything you ask of them. Here on the other hand you are a guest, a very welcome and dear guest, don't get me wrong but now when I let you meet the others here please remember just that. You have to forget about being royal, or else you will get the cultural shock of a lifetime, and I mean it. This place is rough, we talk and interact in a way that will shock you and even perhaps make you feel disgusted but I am telling you, everybody here is family, and I will not have any of my family insulted, shouted at, looked down upon or in any way hurt! Got it?"

He just nodded and she got back up and smiled, the smile was gentle. "Well then, let's go!"

A short while after he was flabbergasted and in awe and to be honest in shock. The place was gigantic, a giant stadium big enough for chariot races and the famous gladiatorial fights she had told him were purely an act. They hid bags of blood underneath their clothes and made it look as if they got killed. The rest of the round building was just as impressive, five stories below the ground level and seven above, there were sleeping quarters, a huge kitchen and dining room. There were storage rooms for props and training equipment, a huge bath with several large and small pools, an infirmary and a huge library. He saw the living rooms where people could just hang out and relax and he was impressed and started to realize that this place was the most amazing one he had ever visited. He wanted to learn more, he had to.

Akisha let him watch the training within the arena and he stared with huge eyes at the trainers and their apprentices who were drilled without mercy in anything from horseback riding to sword fighting. And the skill of the trainers amazed him, they would demonstrate moves and techniques and he knew that they were just as good as him, better perhaps. Akisha had told him that a very few of these boys and girls ever would become weapons masters, it required exceptional talent and also a very strong psyche. A master could not have any flaws, because he or she would be a terrible opponent if they chose the wrong path and started to drift into the dark side.

Most of them would be professional soldiers or knights, and they were very sought after since the training they received at this place was the very best.

Then Akisha showed him the stables and he was stunned, they were amazing. The place held at least a hundred horses and could probably house twice that many, and the horses… He was slack jawed in amazement and awe. He had already seen Trollcrusher but Raigh's black stallion Nightblade and Akisha's steelgray Steelhawk made even a Mearas look plain in comparison. He had never seen bigger or more impressive animals. He said hello to the stable master Dheg who immediately started to ask him questions about the horses in his world and he understood that this man loved horses above anything else in the world. He liked that, and Dheg was such a gentle hearted man who was easy to speak with. They had a long and rewarding conversation and he knew he had found a new friend when they left the place. Akisha then showed him the area around the circus and the small tavern they used to visit when they were having parties or just wanted to let their hair down a bit. It was cozy but strange and Thranduil realized that he really hadn't been as wise as he thought he had been. He hadn't seen that much after all. The tavern owner Dern let him taste some of his famous deserts and Thranduil realized that this man was an amazing cook. It was so delicious he would have eaten way too much if Akisha hadn't stopped him. Dern immediately proclaimed that he would be welcome there anytime and told the elf that someone with such a sensitive palate was rare. The guys who normally ate there would be satisfied with just about anything as long as it wasn't downright poisonous and he said that he was honored to be visited by such a connoisseur. That remark made Thranduil blush and he remembered how spoiled he truly had been. He should be grateful he had food to eat, there were too many who were starving. He would have to change that from now on.

Akisha helped him back to his room and he fell asleep right away, he was so tired his head spun like crazy but it was a good tiredness. The next day Naragh took him to the baths and he was bathed for the first time since the fall. It was wonderful and Naragh and Raigh decided that it would be good for him to swim. It would strengthen him without putting too much pressure on his now healed fractures. Thranduil had had his own private bath but here there were no such thing as privacy. He realized that with a shock and felt terribly self-conscious when he understood that everybody there were taking baths buck naked and both genders together. He had new scars from the surgery and the injuries, he looked almost gaunt since he had been unable to eat much and still nobody seemed to care. Nobody acted like they were disgusted by him or something like that, they just accepted him as he were and the feeling was wonderful. But he felt shy and bothered and they did smile at him but the smiles were out of compassion and understanding, not malice. He managed to swim for a while and it hurt but in a good way, he knew that Raigh was right, it was the best training for him. And so he had to swim every day and slowly he got more agile and strong. He was allowed back on his feet two weeks later, he could only walk with the help of crutches and he felt like such a clumsy and helpless fool. He had to learn how to walk again and even though he sometimes hurt so bad he cried himself to sleep he discovered a new strength from within. He was stubborn, he had a lot of will but he had turned it in the wrong direction. Now it served him well and he made even more progress. The day he could walk without more than a simple walking stick he wept and Akisha gave him a warm hug and told him he was brave.

Raigh pushed him very hard, he had to regain his muscles which had withered away and he sometimes wanted to scream and curse at the man but did not. He was grateful, they were using their own precious time to help him and when had anybody done that for him? He wanted to succeed, to be strong and fit and a better person when he returned to his son. It was his goal. Akisha helped him train his endurance and speed when he was so well he could run, she brought him into the arena where a group of young apprentices were waiting and Thranduil had been deeply confused. He had wondered how they did their endurance training and Akisha had promised to show him. He just stood there looking at her and the group of about ten young adult humans who all seemed to be incredibly fit and healthy. "So?"

Akisha grinned, a mischievous grin with a twinkle in her eye. "We're going to play tags and your it!"

He just stared at her with confusion written all over his face and she punched him gently on the shoulder. Then she ran and he swore to himself and rolled his eyes. He had been playing tags before, with Legolas when he was an elfling, but he was an adult damn it. Pride got the better of him, he was going to show these youngsters that he indeed could run just as fast as them. He did manage to catch one of them but only after ten minutes, he was panting and sweat was running of him. His lungs were burning and his feet shaking like crazy. What in heaven's name had happened to him?

Akisha saw his puzzled expression and grinned. "So, has the king of the wine barrels had a revelation?"

Thranduil almost growled at her but he knew she was right. He had not really been physically active in a long time. The small battle before he fell had been fought mostly by his men and he had been on horseback all the time. He had really let himself go and it was with a lot of shame he admitted that to himself. And so he had to run for hours every day before he swam for two hours and then a stocky huge guy with a bald head and a braided beard presented himself as Wilbwyn and told the elven king that he was his new riding teacher and that he would spent two hours a day on horseback every day. Thranduil almost threw a tantrum, he was a master on horseback and nobody needed to teach him anything thank you very much. Wilbwyn just grinned with a wicked glimpse within his eyes and Dheg came with a rather small horse.

Thranduil rolled his eyes. "Really? A pony?! I am no toddler!"

Wilbwyn rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "No? Prove it. If you manage that horse I'll eat my words and my saddle"

Thranduil swore and managed to keep his temper under control. He got in the saddle and then he realized yet another truth, he could run and swim and he was getting stronger but riding required that he used his muscles in a whole different way. This horse was doing what it wanted, not what he wanted it to do. He was struggling and struggling hard and Wilbwyn was laughing so hard he almost fell on his ass. "I haven't been honest with you, I apologize. Shaker here has been trained to test his riders, to find their flaws and the lacks in their training. Don't worry, you'll be back to your old self soon"

And so he had to train with Wilbwyn every day too and he soon learned to appreciate the man's brisk way of teaching. He was accused of being a klutz, of trying to pull the bit out through the horse's ears, he was out of balance, to impatient and to everything. He was sweating and swearing and only his new determination stopped him from yelling back at the man. He did respect his teachers now, and he wanted to prove himself to them just as he had done with his own father. He was so sore every evening he could barely walk but they were making him progress by showering him with praise when he was doing well and scolding him mercilessly when he failed. He often dreamed of Legolas and he remembered the terrible nightmare. He still had no idea of what his father had been talking about. He was soon fully healed physically, so what had it all been about? He had no idea.

He felt welcome there, they all accepted him and treated him like one of their own and he was very appreciative of this. But Akisha was right, sometimes he was shocked by them, their humor in special. They were rather rough and made him blush rather often and he slowly got used to the frequent use of words which sounded like insults but weren't. This was a huge family in deed, everybody trusted each other and loved each other and even though they often had small quarrels and fights it didn't really mean anything. Everybody was just so damn nice towards each other and he had never felt so accepted before. With Raigh and Hawk, Khir and Rheynek and the others he felt like he was a part of a fellowship and he knew that they would help him in any way that they could. It made him feel very humble and so grateful he could not even begin to express it. They almost felt like brothers to him and he wished by the Valar that he one day could repay them for the time and effort they had put into him.

The parties they sometimes held in the tavern had shocked him, the women were dancing in a manner he never had imagined possible, dirty jokes and loud music filled the air and it filled him with a strange sensation. He felt free, untamed. The weight of the crown upon his head had been greater than he had been aware of, here he was just one among many and nobody gave a damn about dignity and honor. Before long he was singing along whenever there was a drinking song and even though he stayed clear of any alcohol he enjoyed himself immensely. He flirted with the serving girls and they flirted back, rather shamelessly but he did not care. He even started to consider whether or not asking one of them to meet him privately could be a good idea. But Naragh seemed to be able to read his mind and told him he should avoid overstraining his back, if he felt the need he still had a couple of good hands. Thranduil had barely ever been so embarrassed but Naragh just chuckled and told him it was just natural for such urges to resurface now that he was getting back to health.

Then one evening they were all gathered at Dern's and the mood was a good one, it was not one of those wild parties, people were sitting in groups talking and having fun and he was enjoying himself. Raigh suddenly got on his feet. "Let's have some fun, what about a round of truth or dare?"

Wilbwyn raised his jug of mead and cheered. "Yes, I'll start!"

He got on his feet and grinned. "The tale of your first kiss or kiss Khan!"

Khan was the bouncer who worked at the door and he was so ugly he looked like the offspring of an orc and a boar.

Everybody laughed and Wilbwyn emptied the jug in one sip before he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I'll go first. The first girl I kissed was a very busty and inviting one, I had managed to gather the courage to ask her out and I stood there outside of her door and wondered what I was supposed to do. She was waiting for me to make my move and so I went for it. "

He perched his lips and made a squeaking sound that made everybody laugh out loud. "But I was standing in a slope and there was a lot of mud, when I reached forward to kiss those pretty red lips like they do in the ballads I slipped and before you know it I was hanging on her shoulders with my face buried between her…charms! She wore a low cut dress that day. And so my first kiss ended up with a solid uppercut and a kick to my nuts, not exactly a tale of chivalry and romance"

They all laughed and so everybody at the table took their turn, they told some stories that were cute and some funny and suddenly Thranduil realized that they all were looking at him with anticipation. He felt like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him. Wilbwyn sent him a wicked grin. "Come on lad, your first kiss or a kiss from Khan!"

Thranduil would rather kiss an orc! He felt his hands tremble, it was one of his most embarrassing memories and one he was far from proud of but he was no coward, he could not back down when all the others had shared some rather unpleasant memories. He got on his feet but felt them shiver and his voice did tremble. "Well, ah, I was rather young. I grew faster than the other ellon my age so I was rather tall back then, looked a bit older than I really was."

He felt himself slip into the memory as he told of something he would have preferred to have forgotten. He had hit puberty rather early and even though elves don't have to worry about problems like acne, bad smells and the other problems humans has to face it did not mean that puberty was smooth sailings. Far from it. Normally the parents would sit down with their offspring and have _that _conversation with them the moment they started to change and he could remember when he had shared that very embarrassing little speech with Legolas. But unfortunately for himself his father had been absent when he reached the last stages of puberty and they never had the opportunity to sit down and talk.

Since he was a prince nobody else dared to talk with him about the things he wondered about and so he was incredibly ignorant and innocent. He was very protected and knew naught of sex and the way the body works. He had become increasingly confused, he did not understand why certain parts of his body were all stiff when he woke up in the morning, he had weird dreams at night and suddenly he thought that elleths were rather nice, before he thought they were a nuisance.

A hormonal elf is far worse than a hormonal human being, he was so obsessed with the girls he felt like he was going to go crazy. He was terrified by his own thoughts and could not understand why he wanted to be so close to them. And why he got hard whenever he saw an attractive elleth. One afternoon he had been sitting in the garden trying to read a book and one of the young maidens had come and sat down next to him. She had been talking politely about the weather and the new horses his father had brought home and Thranduil had been suffering. His eyes glued to her chest and his hands carefully placed over his lap to hide the obvious swelling. He had tried to pay attention to the conversation and he was raised to be polite and nice towards the ladies, he had problems but he really tried. And then she got back on her feet, leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on his lips and said she thought he was such a nice and handsome ellon. He had gotten a good look straight down her dress and something had suddenly happened to him that made him so terrified he almost passed out. He had felt a sort of surge pass through his body and it ended up within his groin and it felt so good he could have screamed, his cock twitched and he felt something wet and sticky streaming out of him.

The girl had turned her back to him and did not see his strange expression and his terrified eyes, what in the name of the Valar had happened to him? He ran back into his room completely in a panic. He had stripped of his pants and washed the fluid of his body and he was shivering and panting. It was then one of his servants found him and calmed the frightened young ellon down and explained the situation to him.

Thranduil could see that the others were smiling at him but they did not mock him in any way, they felt with him. Wilbwyn slapped him across the back in a very brotherly manner. "Damn, your first kiss must have been a great one to make you come in your pants. That must have been quite a day! Bet you are popular among the ladies!"

He blushed and looked down. "I guess I were, for a while"

Akisha and Raigh walked over to him and smiled. "Want some fresh air?"

He just nodded and followed them outside and Akisha turned towards him. Her face was in a way naked, without the usual strict expression. "Are you capable of keeping a secret?"

Thranduil swallowed and nodded. "Good, we trust you my friend, but this is something we don't show any other than our closest friends. Understand?!"

"I understand!"He felt honored by her words but felt a little uncertain as to what it was they wanted to show him.

Akisha grabbed his hand. "Follow us!"

They went back to the circus and then into a part of the stables where they kept the horses of people who visited the place. Raigh opened a hidden hatch in the roof and they climbed into an old hay loft and from there he could stare into a hidden garden. It was a small triangular shaped room between the tall walls of the circus and the surrounding buildings and it was not big but in one end he could see an old oak tree. It was massive and apparently ancient and he felt a feeling of awe when he gazed upon it. It was so old it made him feel young again. They climbed down and he could see a platform across the lower branches, it looked almost like a sort of talan. Akisha smiled and her eyes were filled with memories, Raighs were too. "This is our place, our little sanctuary away from everything else."

Thranduil stared at the tree, it filled him with a strange longing for home. "It is beautiful here, so peaceful."

Akisha nodded. "Raigh built that platform for me, and I gave him my maidenhood upon it, but that is a different story."

Thranduil blushed, he could feel his ears burn and he looked down. Akisha sighed, she walked towards something almost hidden in the grass. "This is what we wanted to show you. The goddess has brought you here to learn my friend, and we too have a lesson for you. "

He stared at it, it was a grave!

He bit his lower lip, could not read the letters written upon it. "Who rests here?"

Raigh sighed, his wide chest heaved with emotions. "The one person responsible for the worst hurt in our lives, for almost killing us and destroying everything you see here. "

Thranduil gasped and stared at the tomb stone with huge eyes. "Why did you bury such a person here? In your sacred place?"

Akisha sat down on her knees, rearranged some of the flowers planted in front of the tombstone. "Because I forgave her, because she was born as innocent as we all are and it was not her fault that the world betrayed her and turned her into something vile and wicked. "

Thranduil knelt down to. "So, what is the lesson I must learn?"

Raigh smiled gently at him. "That love can endure anything, survive even more. Nothing can stand in the way of a loving heart, remember this. "

Akisha swallowed hard and he was shocked to see tears flowing down her cheeks. "I was a slave when I was brought here, so was Raigh but I saved his life and we fell in love. Back then we had enemies within this city, an evil sect who sought to eradicate this place because it gave people hope and they hated that. "

Raigh knelt down and kissed Akisha on top of her head, the love between the two was so apparent and so truly beautiful to behold. Thranduil felt deeply moved by it and in a weird way jealous. Would he ever have a chance to feel that way about another person? "The sect wanted someone on the inside, someone who would betray their own friends and they found that too. Zoleba who rests here had been the star of the show until Akisha showed up. Oh she was a beauty with hair like spun gold and a laughter like the chime of silver bells. She was stunning and knew it well. But she had flaws, great ones. She wanted it all and she wanted it there and then. She could not understand that you have to work to achieve your goals and when Akisha started to outshine her she turned to our enemies to get her status back."

Thranduil was flabbergasted by what they told him, such a bitch!

Akisha closed her eyes. "She wanted Raigh and could not handle the fact that he fell in love with me, not her. She tried to seduce him to no prevail and so she told our enemies of my whereabouts, and they found me."

She fell quiet and Thranduil felt a wave of sorrow from her, he feared what he would be told next. Raigh had a sad expression upon his face. "They attacked her when she was defenseless and vulnerable. They kidnapped her and they…"

His face was pale and Akisha was grabbing on to his hand as if she never could let go of it.

She looked Thranduil straight into the eyes and he was terrified by the dark emotions he could see within her gaze. "They tortured me and raped me, and they were going to kill me when the master who trained me saved me in the last minute. I was close to death but I allowed the goddess to heal me and accepted her gifts. She turned me into something inhuman, and the heritage from my fathered awakened within me and made me even stronger. With the spirit of a snowtiger within there is nothing that can stop me. But the price I had to pay was terrible, I am sterile and will never give my love any children, and I had to leave him behind in order to be trained to the level I am at now. It almost broke my heart and spirit."

Thranduil felt that his eyes filled with tears, what a truly tragic tale. Raigh caressed her cheek with his thumb. "It almost killed me too, to wake up and find her gone. I was close to killing myself, I truly was. But I did not and after some years we met again and since then we have never been apart. We endured even that terrible misdeed, and learned to love each other again."

Akisha smiled, a very sad smile. "I returned here to rescue my friends and then I found her, Zoleba. The one who had ruined everything I had had, destroyed the most beautiful thing I and Raigh shared. She was dying from leprosy, rotting away while she was still alive. As soon as she was no longer useful the sect had thrown her away, discarded of her like trash. She was nothing like the person she had been, the beautiful temptress was gone, all that was left was a ruin of a human being. She was suffering and living in constant regret of who she had been and what she had done and so I was merciful and killed her, after I forgave her."

Thranduil was stunned. "I could never have done that, not to someone who had hurt me so bad, by the Valar, I will never ever be as noble as you are. I bow my head to you!"

Akisha just smiled, a smile filled with melancholy. "Oh I am sure even you would find it in your heart to forgive, it is better than to spend the rest of the years of one's life in constant hate and regret."

They got up and left the garden and Thranduil had a strange feeling that he was being prepared for something, but only the Valar knew what. They went to the dining room and were met by the cook Jalisa, she grinned and gave them a huge portion of her best stew. "Shanrae and Thilian has arrived. Ghuad will get here tomorrow, he had some business to tend to."

Akisha smiled, a truly warm smile. "Oh goody, Thranduil, you'll get the chance to see how our dragons look!"

The elven king nodded but he felt like all color had left his face and he was trembling within. Seeing a dragon? He'd rather not. "Those two names, who are they?"

Raigh emptied his jug of mead with a loud belch that made Akisha give him a rather angry glance. "Shanrae is Ghuad's soulmate, Thilian is his adopted daughter."

Thranduil just shrugged, a dragons soulmate? He wondered what kind of creature that could be!

He finished his meal and went to bed and that night he dreamt of the day Legolas was born and the incredible joy he had felt. A pity really that such wonderful people as Akisha and Raigh never would experience that emotion.

The next morning he went to the dining room and was greeted as usual with welcoming cheers, it made him feel warm around his heart. He felt so loved there, so at home. He was a part of the family but he started to miss his own. He sat down and Jalisa winked at him before she brought him a mammoth portion of eggs and bacon. He stared at the huge meal with narrow eyes, how in the name of everything sacred would he be able to eat all that? Not finishing your meal was an insult to Jalisa and he knew that she was the glue that kept this whole business going. An army marches on its belly and this place worked the same way. Without her excellent food there would be a mutiny rather fast.

He was halfway through his portion when a woman entered the room and he stared in amazement until he realized that he was being rude and pulled his eyes to him again. She was stunning, he had never seen a beauty like her. It was nothing of the ethereal beauty of Elywen or Frostbird or the elegant bladelike beauty of Akisha, this was a sensual and tantalizing creature which made every male in the room turn their heads. He swallowed hard, what in the name of the Valar was she? A peredhel? She did look like one, at least a bit. She had elven ears but her other features were more human, few elleths would develop such generous curves. Her hair had the color of a ripe field of wheat and her eyes appeared to be a deep color of blue. She was gorgeous and moved with the grace and confidence of a queen.

Jalisa brought her a bowl of porridge and a jug of milk and the woman smiled gently. "Could you ask the servants to bring Thilian something too? She has had it rough lately, she isn't ready to meet everybody just yet."

Jalisa nodded and Thranduil knew that this had to be Shanrae, the dragons soulmate. That dragon was one lucky bastard no doubt but he was getting curious about that Thilian woman. What did Shanrae mean with the things she said?

He got up and went to the baths, he swam for two hours and enjoyed a good massage and then he laid down to relax a bit before he was going to have more riding and fencing lessons. He would soon be back to his full strength and that felt very good. He dozed off, and again he saw Legolas disappear among the terrible shadows, he woke up with a start and was shivering all over, it was rather cold in there and the nightmare scared him more and more. Could it be a harbinger of things to come? Would there be a final battle between his people and the ancient enemy? Would his precious son die if he could not change his path?

He forced himself away from these dark thoughts and got dressed, walked into the arena where Wilbwyn was waiting. He now got to ride good horses and he had regained his self-confidence and balance but he tried to avoid getting to haughty again. He was almost finished with the day's lesson when he heard a shout. "Ghuad is approaching, get the horses back into the stable quick"

The stable hands hurried to follow the order and Thranduil felt a strange chill run down his spine, this was the moment of truth, Would he be able to keep his calm or would he be scared shitless and run away like some crybaby?

A shadow passed over the circus and they removed all the object within the arena, he frowned. How much space did that dragon really need? Wilbwyn smacked him across his shoulders again and grinned from ear to ear. "Find something to hold on to lad, we'll have a minor earthquake soon."

Thranduil snorted and then he looked up and knew that he would run like a rabbit, he would run but could not cause his feet felt like they were glued to the ground and his heart beat like a drum. His face felt like it was burning once more, it was not real but it sure as hell felt that way and he grasped onto one of the pillars along the base of the stands with all his might. It cannot be, his mind was screaming at him, nothing can be that big?! The wings were wider than the base of the entire circus, he had imagined a dragon like Smaug, Smaug would have looked like a mere bat compared with this mighty beast. First of all, Ghuad had four legs in addition to his wings and was thus a real dragon, not a wyern. The dragon that was going in for landing was black, but it was nothing like the blackness of say a black horse. It was the blackness of polished black steel, of black diamonds or the skin of a beetle. He was shining in the sun like oil on water and the sight was as terrifying as it was beautiful. Ghuad braked in the air, swung his long hind legs down and the overall shape of the body was almost humanoid except from the long neck and tail. He touched down and the ground shook beneath the giant weight, Thranduil felt his mouth go dry, his eyes were watering and he could not stop staring.

The dragons head alone was half the length of Smaugs entire body, his teeth longer than a knight's lance. The tail was spiked and he could see strange blades at the end, it was a weapon in itself. Ghuad got down on all fours, folded the giant wings in and then there was a bright flash of light and where the dragon had been a man stood instead. He was almost seven feet tall with long black hair with a strange red shine to it and eyes like dark polished amber. He was incredibly beautiful and yet terrifying in some way and there was an infinite amount of power and wisdom within his strange gaze. Thranduil could see that the eyes were like those of a cat, with vertical pupils. The creature went straight towards him and Wilbwyn and smiled at the bald man. Wilbwyn grinned and embraced Ghuad who returned the embrace like a brother would. "Ah, my friend, long time no see. And who might this be? I have not seen that fair face before?"

Wilbwyn reached out and dragged Thranduil forth, the poor elf felt sweat running down his temples and his hands were shivering. He was close to passing out. "This is Thranduil, he is an honored guest here and a visitor from afar. "

Ghuad cocked his head and those terrible but yet so lovely eyes were watching the elf with curiosity. "From afar in deed, I see that you are no stranger to dragons!"

Thranduil twitched, he touched his face again on a pure reflex and Ghuad had something sad within his gaze. "So much fear, such a pity. I think you will overcome it, soon. A pleasure to meet you Thranduil."

Thranduil held his breath, the dragon knew who he was, he was sure of it. He bowed his head and tried to remain calm and collected but his voice shook. "L..likewise!"

The dragons voice was incredibly deep and smooth, like some slow flowing liquid, it was a voice that could hypnotize you completely. Had he somehow hypnotized Shanrae? Ghuad went towards the dining room and was met with joy and Thranduil felt like he at least had tried to make a good impression. He had not pissed his pants or run away and he had actually managed to smile, even though he felt he was pale as a sheet and shivering like he had seizures.

The rest of the day went rather uneventful, he finished his training, had a nice dinner and spent some time talking about horses and hunting with Rheynek and his mate Enez. She was a petite and lithe woman with dark blonde hair, blue eyes and a constant mischievous glimpse within her eyes. He had been shocked to find out that she in fact was the heir to a kingdom, had made a living as a thief and had grown up in a brothel.

He went to bed early and fell asleep rather fast, he wasn't even dreaming but suddenly he was awakened by a sound nearby. The rooms within this corridor were reserved for guests and rather nice and he understood that it came from a room further down the row of rooms. It was screams, terrible wails which pierced his ears and made him jump to his feet. He was in shock, it was a woman or girl who was screaming and she did not seem to stop. He heard running feet pass by his door, then the sound got a bit muffled and he heart a soft woman's voice and one that had to be Ghuads. "Easy my little one, it was a bad dream, nothing but a bad dream!"

The screams became wild racking sobs and Thranduil felt a surge of compassion rush through him, what kind of dreams could make someone scream like that, oh wait a minute, he knew exactly that kind of dreams, too damn well. He did not hear anything more, just distant soft voices and he went back to bed. He had problems falling asleep again, if the one screaming was the dragons step daughter then she really had to have some nasty skeletons hidden in her closet. He wondered what they were.

The morning after he got up, brushed through his hair and took a quick look in the mirror, he looked better, a heck of a lot better. The emaciated expression was gone, so were the bruises and dark shadows beneath his eyes. He was more muscular than before, more defined too and Naragh had been using oils in his hair so it shone and looked like flowing silk around his shoulders. Yes, he did look good, better than ever he would have to admit. He whistled when he finished dressing and got out into the corridor. He had gotten used to wearing rather plain clothes, they were solid and warm but simple. There were no embellishments on them at all, just brown and grey wool or leather and some velvet. He looked like a commoner would back home and it did not bother him at all, not anymore. His vanity was gone, it had been so downright empty, meaningless. Now he was happy to have a meal even though it had been made en mass to feed hundred people and a jug of thin ale with it. He was glad to have something warm to wear and did not miss his expensive robes a bit. And gold and jewels? Those were just worthless things made to show off a wealth he no longer needed. He wondered why he had been so keen on such things in the first place, was it to prove something to himself? To hide a feeling of failure? Hawk was possibly right when he claimed that the encounter with the dragon had smashed his self-confidence so bad he replaced the hole where it had been with a hunger for something he felt he could control, wealth.

He walked down the corridor and saw someone standing by one of the closets, it was a woman and she was trying to put some sheets back into the top shelf but she wasn't tall enough. She did not look like a servant, and he had never seen her before. She was quite tall with an undeniable elegance, her hair had an amazing color, it looked like polished bronze and shimmered in both red and gold. She had a long neck and he could see that her hands were elegant and fine. And what a body, a narrow waist so small he was sure he could grasp around it, rounded hips with what had to be the best looking rear he had ever seen and a chest which was nothing less than perfect. Her legs seemed to be incredibly long too, and she appeared to be a rather young one.

He walked closer. "Allow me to help you with that"

She turned around and he stared at her with a bit of shock, her face was so lovely. Heart shaped with skin like honey, her big slanting almond shaped eyes shone like jewels and they were a deep color of golden brown. Her lips were full and rosy red and she smelled just wonderful. He was stunned, where could she have been hiding? Then he saw her ears, she was just like Shanrae, and her eyes were like Ghuads, she was Thilian. He gasped and he almost dropped the sheets but managed to put them into the shelf without looking like a moron. "Thank you, that was kind of you"

Her voice was very low, barely audible and she was looking down, like she was ashamed of herself. "Ah, it was just…a pleasure."

He swallowed and then it just burst out, he could not stop it. "So it was you that I heard yelling like a stuck pig last night?!"

She gasped, turned around, faced him. Her eyes were suddenly ablaze with shock and anger. "I-beg-your-pardon?!"

Her voice was hoarse and he met her gaze with shock in his own eyes, why the hell had he said just that? "Oh I am sorry, I am sorry, I should not have said that, at least you don't look like a stuck pig, I mean you don't look like a pig at all, well you do look rather tasty but…"

Wham! She smacked him, right across the face before she turned on her heels with an angry hiss and disappeared down the corridor. Thranduil was left with an aching face and a feeling of absolute horror. What in the name of the Valar had flown into him? Saying something like that to a woman?! Had he finally lost his mind completely? Oh gods, he had to apologize, but how? He whimpered and closed his eyes, why was he such a complete moron when it came to women?


	6. Chapter 6

Thranduil really has a problem, how is he to apologize for his far from polite words? Don't worry, it will get worse, muahahaha! It appears that this certain young lady has a rather strong effect on him, and as you will see, not without reasons.

This chapter is a M rated for sure, he sees something that forces him to take "matters" into his own hands if you get the picture. There will be some action, some answers and even more revelations. Hope you'll enjoy and thanks to you all who take the time to read this. It is much appreciated.

**Chapter Six Don't leave me…**

It will strike like lightning

It will turn you upside down

Hang on for the ride my friend

Choose your words with wisdom

And never let her go

Thranduil was very busy training, he did not have a chance to meet Thilian again and she did not seem to leave her rooms at all. He felt terrible, he had insulted a lady and it really bothered him. Why had he said those things to her? He guessed that he had been so in shock by her beauty he had been unable to think straight. He had always been known as a very polite ellon, oh he could be sarcastic and mean but it was always wrapped into layers of etiquette. He had never been so blunt! The less than well-mannered ways of the people in this place had probably affected him, they could be very rude at times. Heck, he had told her she looked tasty?!

He moaned when he did think about it, what type of mental images had he allowed to drift into his mind to say just that? He was so ashamed, and the fact that she had slapped him told him she had quite a temper. He liked that in women. Gods, those beautiful eyes, so strange with their cat like appearance and yet so tantalizing. He could not stop thinking about her.

He went through his daily routine and tried to keep his mind on the things he was doing, it wasn't until he almost rode his horse into a row of waterbarrels that he realized that this just would not work. He had only seen Shanrae once or twice the last couple of days and he did not dare to approach her, Ghuad was enjoying some fencing practice with Raigh and Hawk and Thranduil was in awe of their technique and skill but he could not ask Ghuad for advice. The mere thought of it made him cringe. Akisha did notice that the elf was more quiet than usual but she had more than enough on her mind and she did not have the time to ask him if anything was wrong. Thranduil tried to gather his courage and speak to Shanrae but he was too afraid to. He wanted to see Thilian again and at the same time he did not. He was sure he would say something even more stupid if he came face to face with her.

He had gone to bed for the evening when he remembered that he had forgotten his belt by the pool where he had been swimming. Naragh hated it when people didn't clean up their own mess and so he got up and walked to the bath to get it. It was not wise to anger the wise old healer, he wanted his bath to be left in perfect order. It was late, the place had become silent and only a few guards were up and about. He walked into the bath and found his belt. He looked at the pool, he felt hot and the water in the small pool in the back of the huge room was cold. He shrugged and went over to it, why not really? He pulled of the soft loose pants he was wearing in bed and went in, it felt very good and he sighed with relief and knew he had needed it. It would help him sleep well no doubt.

He was contemplating getting back up when he heard the door open and he froze, he was still bothered when others saw him undressed and he had not been able to adjust to all the strange customs of this place. He pushed himself down so he could not be seen, he hoped that this person was there just to find some lost item, just as he had. He lifted his head a bit above the edge of the pool and his eyes got huge as teacups. It was dark in his corner of the room but some lamps had been left burning by the entrance, he could clearly see who this was. Hell, he saw everything. It was Thilian and she was wearing only a bathrobe and nothing more. She walked to the small pool with very hot water and dropped the coat, let her hair down. Thranduil could not believe what he was seeing, her hair had been tied up the last time he saw her but now it hang down in shiny locks and it reached her calves.

Thranduil suddenly had problems breathing, she did not know he was there peeping at her and he felt so ashamed of himself he could have cried but he could not tear his eyes away from her. She went into the pool and he prayed silently that she didn't mean to take a long bath. What he had seen was haunting him and he closed his eyes and tried to stay completely still. She hummed to herself and he could hear splashing sounds, Valar, what was he to do?

She got back up after just a few minutes, the light made her hair shine like blood and gold and she put the robe back on and left just as silently as she had entered. Thranduil let out a sigh of relief, he waited for a couple of minutes before he almost ran back to his room and shut the door firmly behind him. He was panting and shivering and the image of her naked form was almost glued to his mind. He fell back on his bed, tried to relax and wipe his mind blank but he could not, his heart was beating like a drum and he was so hard it hurt. He looked down along his body and moaned in frustration, oh he knew how to take care of the problem but it would almost feel like a defeat. He did not want to let his urges control him, not any more. The image of her slender and yet curvy body reentered his thoughts and his control faded away, it crumbled like a house of cards in a hurricane. He was suddenly stroking himself and moaning her name as he did it, it felt so good he got teary eyes and at the end he came so violently he screamed into his pillow.

When he managed to calm down and catch his breath he closed his eyes in confusion and shame. He had not done that since he was a mere youth, and how could he ever manage to talk to her in a civilized manner now that he had been thinking about her while he was doing what he had? He felt his cheeks burn and he silently scolded himself for being such a fool, all right, he was almost completely healed and healthy but he had seen gorgeous women before without suddenly feeling like a darn animal in heat! He cleaned up the mess and wiped himself clean, oh how Naragh would snigger if he found out about this! Thranduil was still blushing when he lay down and tried to sleep. Things had gone from being a bit complicated to become a real mess!

The next morning he woke up with a heavy head and a strange tingling sensation within his body, he could not really understand what was causing it but it was almost as if he was looking forward to something, something enjoyable. He went to the dining room for breakfast and once more he got a portion big enough to fill the stomach of three ordinary men. Jalisa had to believe that the slender body of an elf really was a sign of malnutrition, but there were other elves there and they did not eat that much. He had a suspicion that Jalisa felt sorry for him somehow and showed that in the only way she knew, with food. He shook his head and started to eat, it tasted just as delicious as usual but he kept wondering about his problem. He had to apologize to Thilian for what he had said, his honor demanded it of him. Maybe he could write her a letter? Oh no, that would be cowardly. He had to say it right to her face. And he dreaded it, how was he gonna keep his cool when he had seen her naked, and fantasized about her afterwards? He was sitting there deep within his own thoughts and did not even notice that Akisha had entered the room and stood next to him. "Hello? I am trying to talk to you?"

He lifted his head with a start and stared at her with confusion, he had not even heard her speaking in the first place. "Oh, I was…I was just thinking about something. Yes?"

Akisha crossed her arms in front of her chest, she had a strange look upon her face. Thinking about something? Indeed, normally it would be impossible to sneak up to an elf the way she just had. She sighed. "I wondered if you could do me a small favor?"

He looked at her eagerly, he wanted to show his gratitude and be helpful and prove that he was useful too. "Yes, of course?"

Akisha sat down. "Shanrae and Thilian wants to go for a ride in the woods but they need someone to escort them and everybody is so damn busy. We are going to have a show again this week and damn it, everybody is running around like headless chickens. I wondered if you could be so kind as to follow them? There is nothing dangerous out there, but it is always best to be more people than just two women."

He swallowed, and swallowed again. A ride in the woods? Oh he would love that, absolutely, but with Shanrae and Thilian? How in name of the Valar was he going to manage that? He made a small whimper, then he just nodded and Akisha got a curious look upon her lovely face. He looked almost as if he had gotten something stuck in his throat or something like that. His face was a bit red and his eyes told of a sense of dread. Akisha grinned and petted him on his shoulder. "Wonderful, I'll go tell them right away. Jalisa will get you some proper riding attire. And I am sure Dheg will lend you one of the best horses too."

The idea of riding a good horse lifted his mood a bit but he wished he could disappear, just for a while. He finished eating with a sense of impending doom, then he went to his room where the servants had left some good warm clothes well suited for a trip to the woods. He had even been given a belt with two beautiful short swords, he almost forgot about his doubts there and then. With swords in his belt he felt like a man again, like he really could make a difference and his back was straight and his head held high as he walked toward the stable. He had braided his long silvery blond hair and put on his most relaxed expression. He hoped this would end well and not in some utter disaster.

Dheg was waiting for him and he held Afhira by the reins, the mare was the property of the owner of Circus and she was literally priceless. A tall gorgeous animal with a coat like polished copper, white mane and tail and a star shaped blaze between her huge gentle eyes. Thranduil was gasping, being allowed to ride Afhira was such a demonstration of trust and he felt moved by it. The mare was incredibly fast and her long neck and legs told of her proud and valuable bloodline. Dheg nodded to him as he handed him the reins. "She is a bit nervous, so be careful."

Thranduil was about to answer when Shanrae and Thilian rode out from the stable, they both rode smaller rather stocky looking geldings and the two women were stunning. Shanrae was wearing a red velvet riding suit which made her golden hair and alabaster skin even more striking. Thilian was clad in a suit of deep dark green velvet and she was so pretty he could hardly believe his eyes. Dheg petted Afhira on the rump and the mare whinnied and pulled at the reins, eager to go. Shanrae rode up to him and touched his arm very gently. "I am very glad you could find the time to accompany us, I have visited these woods several times but it is always nice to feel extra safe."

He blushed and bowed his head. "Ladies, it is just a pleasure to be of service."

They rode out of the gate and down the street towards the city gates and Shanrae appeared to be a very friendly lady with exquisite manners. She told him small anecdotes about her experiences with this city and he listened and tried to look calm and collected. Thilian on the other hand never spoke a single word, she was staring into the neck of her horse and she looked uncomfortable the whole time.

The woods were huge and he was glad Shanrae had visited the place before and knew the paths, he felt an incredible sensation of relief by being surrounded by trees and nature again and he enjoyed it immensely. He almost forgot about Thilian who rode behind them and looked almost sulky. Shanrae smiled. "So, I hear that you are a king, and that you have a son?"

Thranduil nodded, he missed Legolas all of a sudden, desperately. The woods and its scents and sounds reminded him of home. "Yes, that is correct. I do have a son, my light and joy"

Shanrae had a gentle expression within her eyes. "Oh I am sure he is, children are the most precious thing we have are they not?"

He swallowed, his chest ached and he remembered his fear and the horrible nightmare. "Indeed they are."

Her eyes got narrower and she leaned towards him. "Why so pale? Is anything wrong, are you in pain? If you feel uncomfortable we may return right away, I know you were severely wounded and still are on the mend?"

He gasped and the mare nickered and threw her head, she sensed his anxiety and he had to gather the reins and calm her down before he could answer. "No, no I am alright. It's just that I fear for my son's safety. He is the one good thing in my life, the one thing I have of which I am truly proud and grateful."

Shanrae reached out and touched his arm, smiled warmly. "I am sure you will be able to save him, you have a strong heart and an even stronger will."

He gave her a faint smile back. "I pray that you are right!"

The forest was very beautiful with open glades where small birds were singing and flowers grew in abundance. The trees were of a sort he never had seen before with smooth surfaces and a high and wide canopy. He could hear them singing to him but he did not understand them as he would have understood the trees back home. Yet he felt at home there and he enjoyed himself, he heard the birds singing about their everyday lives and he admired the lovely flowers which were growing everywhere. It was such a lush forest, with a vibrancy to it that thrilled him and awakened his senses.

Shanrae made him aware of small things she saw and she was really easy to speak with. He felt the question force its way forth, he had to know. "So, you and Ghuad, how did you meet?"

Shanraen sighed, she looked down into the neck of her horse. "Oh that story is rather ugly I am afraid, but I guess I should tell."

Thranduil swallowed. "No my lady, you don't have to, not unless you of course want to, but it is really none of my business, I just got a little curious, that's all."

Shanrae smiled at him, there were some sort of sadness within her deep blue eyes. "I want to tell you of our story, because it is proof of how misunderstood Ghuad is. His heart is kind at the bottom, and the love within a person of his race burns brighter and more fierce than even the sun itself. You cannot bind yourself to a dragon without knowing this."

He tried to look relaxed, felt how strained his smile was. "I understand"

She gave him a look which told him that she really didn't believe that he did. "I was not like this when we met Thranduil. I was a person who others saw as worthless, as a thing to be used and then thrown away."

He stared at her with disbelief. She continued with a strange bitter grin on her face. "I was forced to be a whore, for sale to the highest bidder. I was expensive since I was exotic and young, and still my owner sold me to men who liked to abuse and hurt women. I sometimes thought that death would be to prefer."

Thranduil was truly shocked, she looked at his huge eyes and expression and shook her head. "This world is cruel my friend. And unforgiving too, to be different is difficult enough and to be a person without family around for protection even worse. I was alone and going to die when Ghuad showed up. He saved me, and we knew from that moment on that we were meant for each other, that our souls belonged together forever."

Thranduil nodded. "You are a half breed?"

Shanrae nodded slowly. "Yes, I am. My father was an elf, but my mother human. She was a poor woman who allowed her spirit and will to be broken by the world. She drank herself to death I think. "

Thranduil was truly stunned by the things that she told him. "So for how long have you been together?"

Shanrae shrugged. "Some years, not that long yet."

He was going to answer her when Thilian suddenly spurred her horse and rode past them, she looked like she was furious. Thranduil raised his eyebrows in a puzzled expression and Shanrae pressed her lips together and looked a bit annoyed. "Forgive her my friend, she has her problems poor child, and sometimes she forgets how to behave among others. She is a fiery one with a spirit made of embers I am sure. Too damn restless is what she is."

The girl galloped into the forest and Thranduil swore to himself and made Afhira follow the stubby gelding, he did not want to lose sight of her and Shanrae followed straight behind him. The path was wide and flat and they could ride hard, he enjoyed the speed but he felt increasingly insecure and annoyed by the girl's behavior. And then he heard a horse scream and it was followed by a scream that had to be Thilians. His blood felt like ice there and then and he pulled out a sword and spurred the mare. They entered a small clearing at full speed, Thilians gelding was rearing and bucking and acting like some mad horse and Thilian was hanging on for dear life.

Thranduil did not understand why the horse was acting up like that before he saw something move in the grass ahead of it. It was a small snake and not even the dangerous kind, this type of snake was harmless unless you were a mouse and he put his sword back in the sheath. He did not know whether to laugh or pretend like nothing but the horse continued to buck so he rode towards it, grasped it by the halter and forced it to calm down. Thilian was just staring at him and her eyes were angry. He dismounted and reached out toward her, ready to help her off the horse. She gave him a rather poisonous glance and jumped off the horse, on the wrong side. "I can do it myself, jerk!"

He cringed by her words, first of all, her voice was as cold as ice and second of all, it spoke volumes of how she felt about him. He was starting to feel a bit angry and started to be afraid that he would say something stupid again. He held his tongue tied and just made a short polite nod towards her. "As the lady wishes"

Thilian snorted and turned around, walked away with her head held high. He felt how his anger made him want to shake her, he had helped her and she acted like some brat? Fine, then she really could see how that served her in the end.

Shanrae had dismounted too and she was shaking her head and she looked distraught by her friend's behavior. Thranduil managed to get a grip of himself, calmed down and tried to think in a rational manner. "We'll rest here, the horses needs a breather."

Shanrae did give him a rather faint smile, then she walked towards Thilian and the two women walked together towards a small stream which crossed the clearing.

Thranduil was just shaking his head, he let the horses graze and bit his lower lip, fine, he had to talk to her no matter how hostile she seemed. What was her problem anyhow? She acted in a way that was just infuriating. He saw that the two women had sat down on a log and were talking and so he walked up to them and gathered his courage and tried to appear calm and friendly. He could see that Thilian avoided looking at him in a way that was quite intentional, he sighed and sat down on the end of the log. "Thilian, I am sorry. I did not have time to apologize to you when we first met, I should never have said those words, to be absolutely honest I have no idea where they came from. The sight of you just stunned me."

She bit her teeth together, he could see her jaw muscles tense up. Then she turned her head towards him, so fast it looked almost unnatural and he backed off on pure instinct. Her eyes were ablaze with rage, her hair like some mane around her face and she was stunning and obviously not aware of the fact. "Yeah? Stunned by the sight of yet another freak? Or was it my breasts that were most stunning?"

Thranduil blushed and stared at her with disbelief, she was shivering all over and then it hit him like a sledge hammer. She wasn't angry, she was scared! She was scared almost out of her mind but she camouflaged it as rage and used it as a shield to protect herself and to drive others away from her. Her aggression was just a masquerade. He suddenly pitied her like none other he had ever met, what had happened to her to cause her to become so hostile towards people? To use such a terrible method of defense?

He did not think, he reached out and touched her arm very gently. "Tell me child, what it is that you are so afraid of?"

She got on her feet with a shriek, her eyes almost glowing and she jumped away from him as if he was poisonous. "Let go of me you…you bastard. You men are all alike!"

She started running again and Shanrae called out after her but the girl did not stop. She just continued running and disappeared among the trees. Thranduil got on his feet to follow but Shanrae grasped his hand. "No, stay here. She'll calm down, eventually. There is no point in chasing after her, it will only make things worse. Believe me, I have tried, many times!"

Shanrae's voice was tired and Thranduil started to understand that it was no easy task taking care of this young woman.

Thranduil felt a bit worried, the forest was rather safe but he would have preferred to keep a watchful eye on her never the less. Shanrae sighed and closed her eyes, she did really look tired and sad too. He bit his lower lip, tried to look calm but could not. She petted his hand, her smile filled with melancholy. "You want to know why she is like this right?"

He nodded and Shanrae cut a grimace. "You are the first one who has been able to see through her disguise. She must have felt it like a real shock. Most people shun her, she is either like this, aggressive, or foul mouthed or both. She can be very nasty at times, like some sulky and defiant toddler."

He had to smile, he remembered Legolas when he was at that particular age when the most popular word is no!

Shanrae pulled her knees up, placed her arms around them and rested her chin on top of them.

"She is afraid, always afraid. You heard her scream that night? That happens quite a lot, she has nightmares. Her past is a darkness from which there is little escape. We try but we cannot reach her, not well enough."

She closed her eyes. "Ghuad feels terrible because of it, he feels that it is his fault, that he could have prevented it but I think the Gods rule our fates and there is a meaning to everything, even though it seems to be meaningless and just terrible when it happens."

He listened to the forest around, it was so peaceful, and the contrast between this pure natural beauty and the things which were revealed was painful in some way. Shanrae was a bit pale, she looked down. "Ghuad first met Thilian and her mother when he and Rheynek were out on a mission. They were to find and execute some villains who robbed and murdered travelers. They arrived at that village just in time to save Thilians mother from being burned at the stake as a witch. She was a sorceress yes but not evil, not more than most other people."

Thranduil shivered by the words Shanrae spoke, being burned alive, what a truly gruesome fate. Shanrae continued. "Ghuad had gotten wounded and Thilians mother healed him, then he and Rheynek helped the two women escape the village and afterwards Ghuad burned the whole place to the ground. But Thilians mother was a very determined and resourceful woman, she had Thilian already with a father who had left her before he knew that she was pregnant with his child"

Thranduil frowned. "Why did she not tell him?"

Shanrae grinned, a rather wicked grin. "She did not want him to know, she did not need his help in any way and she wanted to raise her daughter her own way. She knew what her daughter would grow up to be and she wanted to be able to control that power herself."

The elf just stared at her. "Are you telling me that she wanted to use her daughter's powers for her own benefit?"

Shanrae nodded. "Oh she claimed to be serving the goddess but in the end it was herself she was serving. And when Ghuad and Rheynek suddenly showed up she saw yet another opportunity, to increase her influence."

Thranduil was a bit puzzled, he did not really understand. "How?"

Shanrae laughed, a rather sarcastic laugh, she tossed her long golden hair back and gave him a narrow smile. "She wanted one more child, one more dragonborn. Humans and shape shifting dragons cannot normally produce offspring even if they try, and the type Ghuad is off cannot mix with other races at all, but she had discovered herbs and magic that would allow her to conceive in spite of that. And so she seduced Ghuad to use him as a stud and it was not until later he realized what she really had been trying to do."

Thranduil was lost for words, he just stared wide eyed at Shanrae who shrugged. "Wanna hear the rest?"

He nodded and she closed her eyes once more, she looked even more tired now. "Ghuad went looking for them, he wanted to protect Thilian and teach her as much as possible about her powers. He tried to find them for years, to no avail. Thilians mother was smart, she had gone into hiding and knew what she was doing. When Ghuad found Thilian it was almost too late."

Thranduil was very curious now, and shocked too. He felt a little disgusted also, how could anyone be so devious, using another person like that just to fulfill some wicked plan to gain power at the expense of others? He was beginning to understand that humans were a much more heterogeneous bunch than he previous had though. He had regarded human beings as inferior and weak, stupid even and mostly wicked too. Now he slowly realized that they were both good and bad and that they could harbor both courage and evil at the same time. They were much more complex than an elf and he had started to respect them in a whole different way. He would never again underestimate them, neither their goodness nor their evil.

"Too late?" His voice was trembling a bit, poor girl. Who could grow up like that without being emotionally scarred.

Shanrae cut a grimace. "Yes, Thilians mother had in fact conceived, but the birth killed her. She was really too old to bring another baby into the world. Thilian went to live with a relative of her mother but she was too different, too special. They kicked her out of their home out of fear and superstition and so she had to live on the streets. It made her bitter and distrustful. "

Shanrae had oceans of sadness within her gaze. Thranduil was waiting for the rest and Shanrae sat up straight again, leaned against a tree. "We share a few nasty experiences, she cannot trust men anymore, she is afraid of them and I cannot blame her. But she is even more afraid of herself and her powers and what she is capable of. Thranduil, don't get me wrong, she is such a wonderful person at heart but she is carrying a terrible load of guilt and shame within her soul and that sometimes makes her a person nobody can stand. She tries to hurt everybody before they can hurt her and I fear she will live a very lonely life."

Thranduil could understand that, strike first before the enemy can. Be the first to attack, bring them to their knees before they can find your weaknesses. He shook his head slowly to show his compassion and that he shared her fears. "Ah, how old is she really? Did she live on the streets for a long time?"

Shanrae shrugged. "She thinks she is somewhere around twenty summers old, we are not sure and neither is she. So she is an adult but acts like a child some times."

He gave her a wry smile, so he had seen. "So what happened to her to make her so…so adamant on keeping other people away from her?"

The half elf was silent for a while, her eyes were very dark when she started speaking again. "Thilian is a very beautiful girl, to be honest she is absolutely breathtaking. I am sure you have noticed?"

The last words came with a small smile and he just nodded but felt how his cheeks and ears burned in shame. Oh what he had seen!

"While living as a beggar and thief she made friends with some others in her own situation, they were nice to her or so she thought. In fact they were only out to exploit her, to earn money on her. First they managed to convince her that she should show of her talents on the street, of course they made some money but the inhabitants started to fear her. And she had not yet learned to control her powers, accidents did happen and then her so called friends got a new idea. They had her drugged and sold her to some men. "

Thranduil was aghast, he could hear his heart beat like a drum and his mouth had gone dry. No wonder she was afraid of men, had they really…?

Shanrae cut an ugly grimace, her blue eyes were almost shooting blue lightning. "She woke up before they could fulfil their misdeed, they had been meddling her for sure, groped her and enjoyed it a lot. But they had not yet raped her because they could not agree on who of them it was who deserved to be the first. A dragonborn is not like a human being or an elf, they respond to drugs in a very different way and so she woke up much earlier than they had anticipated. She woke up confused, probably while having some rather hefty and nasty hallucinations and she reacted out of pure instinct."

Thranduil felt a weird sensation of relief, so they had not managed to rape her, the very idea of anybody touching her like that made him so angry he wanted to kill something.

Shanrae looked him straight in the eye. "She brought forth her fire, the one every dragon carries within their very soul, it is the essence of who and what they are. It is and will forever be her core, her truth. And she burned them, all of them. She killed them but she didn't really want to, she just wanted to get out of there and I am sure she saw something much more menacing than just a few men. Anyhow, Ghuad found her just a few weeks later and adopted her, he and I have been looking after her ever since. She hates herself Thranduil, she is afraid of her own feelings and she cannot stand being touched. She knows she has killed and she is no murderer at heart, she is not the kind of person who can take lives without losing a bit of herself. She would rather die than kill, but they left her with no choice. So now she trusts nobody and tries to build an ice armor around her soul through which nothing and nobody is let through. "

Thranduil swallowed hard, he was so very sad to hear this, she deserved so much more than the lonely life she would face if she continued on that path. Shanrae sighed and got on her feet. "I think we better return home now, before they start to worry. Where can she have gone?"

Thranduil looked down and found her footprints. "Here, we'll track her. She cannot have gone far. "

He started running along the line of footprints and Shanrae was also a good runner and followed right behind him. He wasn't worried, the forest was just a forest and there were no orcs or anything similar to them living in this country as far as he had been told. He was just jogging along and enjoyed the scenery and Shanrae was swearing to herself, mumbling something about "disobedient brat" and "should have been spanked."

Then they heard a weird sound up ahead, it was not the kind of noise which alarmed them a lot, just a low almost bleating sound. He lifted his head, listened with a curious expression on his face. "Are there sheep grazing here?"

Shanrae shook her head, she too looked quite puzzled. "No? This forest belongs to the king, nobody is allowed to let their livestock graze here."

They moved closer and the sound came again, it had aggression in it and he could tell that it was no sheep after all. There was a shrill tone to the call and he could not recognize it as any animal he knew of. He pulled one of the swords and felt a strange chill run down his spine, something was wrong. The forest was too quiet, the birds had seized singing and he could hear something heavy stomping around. Then they heard a terrified scream filled with pain and Thranduil swore to himself as he rushed forward ready to face any enemy. "Shanrae, help me!"

It was Thilian and her voice was thin and shivering, his heart sank within his chest. He had never run that fast before, rushed past a huge boulder and then he saw her. She was half laying and half sitting in front of a rock, there was blood everywhere. In front of her he saw one bizarre creature, it looked like a giant long legged porcupine with a long tail filled with nasty looking spikes. It made that weird noise again and swung its tail towards her, he could see that the spikes already were bloody. With a moan he tossed himself forward, sword raised and a battlecry on his lips. He could not hesitate even a second. The animal saw him and roared, swung the terrible tail towards him with amazing speed and agility but he dodged it with ease, he just jumped over it and landed steadily on his feet close to the beasts shoulder. With a yell he brought the blade down, it was a good sword and he almost decapitated the animal with the first strike. The next finished the job and he heard Shanrae scream behind him in disbelief and fear. "Oh Thilian, what has happened?"

Thranduil stared at the beast with disbelief. "By the gods, I have never seen anything like this, what it is it?"

Shanrae was wild eyed and pale as a sheet. "A sting tail, but they normally never attack humans? They are such peaceful creatures and only use their spikes for defense?"

She was kneeling down and Thilian looked up, her eyes were filled with tears and she was shivering all over. Thranduil could see where the nasty spikes had gone through her clothes, her left thigh hip and ass cheek had been hit and that badly. There were blood streaming out of at least fifteen wounds and she moaned in agony. "There was a baby, it was so cute and I wanted to play with it, but suddenly it turned around and bit me and then the adult came and hit me with the tail. Oh Shan, I am so scared, am I gonna die?"

Thranduil swore to himself in sindarin, she was a fool. Trying to play with some wild animals offspring? That was asking for trouble! Shanrae was trembling all over, she was pale. "Oh gods what shall we do? We have got to bring her back home fast!"

Thranduil felt a surge of determination fly through him, he had been in similar situations before, with wounded warriors. Those spike wounds were almost like those a spear would make and he made a decision. "If we try to ride back home she will be dead before we reach the city gates. She is losing too much blood. We have to stop the bleeding right now."

Shanrae looked terrified and he knew he had to take charge now. He knew what to do. "Shanrae, start a fire, quick"

She nodded with her eyes wide and face pale, found dry branches and moss and used her flint to get sparks. Thranduil used his knife to cut open Thilian's pants and get them off her and she started to scream again, kicking and wriggling like crazy. "No, don't you dare touch me, no! I am gonna burn you, you hear?! No! You son of a bitch, get your hands off of me!"

He slapped her. Right across her face and she just stared at him in absolute shock. "Now listen to me young lady. I am not those guys who tried to rape you, you hear? I am trying to save your bloody life and if you don't lay still you will bleed to death rather soon. Is that what you want eh?"

She whimpered and her lower lip shivered, he could have slapped himself for being so harsh on her now that he knew the reasons behind her bizarre behavior but it was needed. He got the remains of her pants off her and gasped in horror. The wounds were ghastly, deep with torn edges and he felt a little sick for a moment. Her skin was so pale it looked like white ice and the blood was such a shocking contrast to it. She was shivering and sobbing and he could not help but feel compassionate towards her. She looked so young, so defenseless and alone and he tried to smile to her. "This is gonna hurt really bad, I am so very very sorry. But there is no way around it unless you want to die or get nasty infections."

He had done it before, cauterized wounds. But he had done it on other warriors who were aware of the dangers they were walking into when they faced the enemy, not a very lovely young woman he had started to care about. He gently examined the wounds, he had an excellent view to her private parts but he did not even think in that direction now. Her perfect little ass would get some scars at the best and he shook his head in a mixture of compassion and sorrow. Why did such things happen to those who least of all deserved it?

Shanrae had gotten the fire going and he put the blade of his knife into it, allowed it to be warmed up until it was glowing red. He felt his hands shiver, he was going to hurt her, he was going to hurt her so bad he was sure she never would forgive him for it. To burn the deep jagged wounds was the only way to stop the bleeding there and then and he took a deep breath to calm himself. He nodded to Shanrae. "Sit down and hold her, don't let go!"

He grabbed a piece of tree bark and placed it between Thilians teeth. "Here, bite down on it or else you will ruin your teeth."

Thilian sobbed. She was covered in sweat and her pupils enormous. "Don't leave me, please don't leave me"

Her voice was but a low shivering whisper and it hit him right in his heart, she probably wasn't even aware of what she said. He felt tears sting his eyes, this was beyond horrible. He braced himself, lifted her leg a little to get a better angle and then he grabbed the knife but was careful not to let her see it. "Please forgive me Thilian, I am so sorry!"

He pushed the blade into the first wound, there was a hissing sound, a small cloud of smoke and the terrible stench of burned flesh. Thilian screamed, an awful piercing wail and Shanrae moaned and looked away. Thranduil felt tears flowing down his high cheeks, she was panting, her eyes black and face so white it looked almost as though she was dead. He took care of one wound after the other, burned them and tried to be as efficient as he could so he did not prolong her suffering. She fainted after the tenth was done and just lay there, barely breathing. He finished and ripped his cloak apart, made simple bandages out of it and wrapped her in them. She was cold and he knew she was going into shock, they had to get back to the circus fast. Shanrae ran and got the horses and he made Afhira kneel down so he could get into the saddle with Thilian in his arms. She was still unconscious and he prayed that the gods would be merciful and let her stay that way until they were safely back home and Naragh could give her some pain relief. He was sweating too now, so scared of losing her he could barely think straight. He spurred the mare and she ran like the wind through the forest. Thilian suddenly woke up, she realized that she was sitting across his thighs and close to his body and started to struggle to break free from his arms. She wasn't really aware of where she was and he could just hold her and try to avoid that she fell off the horse. She squirmed and kicked and went berserk and then it was as if she was being pushed too far, like something within her just snapped. She stopped struggling and surrendered to him, her head rested on his shoulder and he could feel her shallow breath towards his neck as he steadied her and tried to make her sit in a more comfortable position. "Don't leave me…"

The words were blurred and barely audible but he was deeply moved by them. He held her tight and just on impulse he let his lips glide against hers, it was no kiss, just a touch but the second he did it the entire world stopped in front of his eyes. There was a complete and utter silence and then all his senses returned and he almost cried out in shock. He stared at her face in utter confusion, knew within that one second that she was the other half of him, she was his soul mate, his one true love in life. Thranduil moaned, now he realized what his father had meant with his words, heal and thou shall be healed. He had to heal her, help her in every way possible so that she could become the person she was meant to be. He now knew why he had been brought there, he had to be healed first so he could help her. So she could be the one to make him complete in return, they depended upon each was going to be a task he felt would be challenging in deed, oh gods how was he going to save a girl who probably would hate his very guts, could not stand him touching her and on top of it all was destined to be his one true love? He clenched his teeth together and prayed the Valar for strength, damn how he would need it.


	7. Chapter 7

So, Thilian is his one true love, now what? He has to tame the shrew so to speak, make her realize that he isn't a danger. It could be easier said than done when considering Thilians past experiences. She really has some demons to dodge and is it possible for him to reach her without getting burned, quite literally? Rated M due to some language.

**Chapter seven Monster within**

The eyes are a mirror

Reflecting a soul trapped by grief

Dare to stare back and unravel it's secret

Uncover the monster within

He rode past the city gates so fast the guards barely had time to see who it was, the streets were crowded but the sound of hooves made people move out of the way even though he received many a loud curse and insult. Afhira was indeed fast, he had never ridden any horse with more speed and she was very easy to control. The mare was sweating but far from tired when he rushed through the gates and into the arena. He shouted for help and Raigh and a couple of the other men dropped everything they held and came running. Raigh stared at him and Thilian with disbelief written all over his face. "What has happened? Where is Shanrae?"

Thranduil felt so very helpless at that moment. "She is behind me somewhere, her horse isn't as fast as this mare. Get Naragh now!"

One of the apprentices ran like a rabbit and the elf held Thilian firmly within his grasp until Raigh grasped the reins and held the horse. Thranduil just swung his leg over the saddle and landed elegantly on both feet with Thilian in his arms. Raigh looked a bit impressed but he went pale when he saw the blood and the bandages. "What the hell?"

Thranduil had an expression of fear on his face and also a lot of confusion within his glance. "She got attacked by a sting tail, it hit her several times. I have cauterized the wounds but she needs help, fast!"

Raigh frowned. "A sting tail? Why in heavens name would that attack a person? They are afraid of people and will run, not charge?"

The elf shrugged. "So Shanrae told me too, perhaps it was her scent? She was furious when it happened I guess."

Naragh came running as if his robes were on fire, he was wild eyed and pale and he had three of his apprentices right at his heels. "Oh no, come, carry her into the infirmary, hurry!"

Thranduil just ran and Naragh questioned him about what had happened and what he had done. Well inside the old healer had him place her on a bed and he removed the bandages Thranduil had made. The wounds looked even worse now and he had to turn away with a groan, he felt how his knees shivered and he felt so very sorry for her. Naragh threw a rather annoyed glance at him but he looked the old healer back in the eye and held his ground. "I am not leaving her, never!"

Naragh sighed. "Fine, suit yourself but don't complain later, I have warned you. This will not be pretty"

Thilian was just half awake, her eyelids were shivering and her eyes appeared to be rolling, it looked horrible. He knelt down and grasped her hand, held it firmly. "Thilian, listen to me, I am not gonna leave you, I am here. Don't worry, it is gonna be alright, I promise"

She just groaned and Naragh finished examining the wounds. He was swearing so bad it almost hurt listening to him. "She is in shock, her body is shutting down!"

Thranduil stared at the healer with wild eyes. "But you can fix it right? She is gonna be ok?!"

Naragh stared at the elf, he was really truly and deeply concerned about her and the old man could see something within the elf's eyes that hadn't been there before. He sighed and closed his eyes as if to gather strength. "I will do all I can I assure you but she is in grave danger, I have to be honest."

Thranduil shivered, the idea of her dying was so horrible he couldn't even imagine what it would feel like if she died. He would die too, he was sure of it. Naragh sprang into action, he gathered bottles and instruments and his apprentices were running around following his orders. First he removed the burned flesh by using some kind of small knife, that started the bleeding again but it did not bleed that much now. Naragh worked really fast and he was mumbling all the time, there was a constant clatter of instruments and every now and then he barked an order to his helpers. Thranduil remained kneeling by her head, holding her hand. He did not remove his eyes from her face even when Shanrae burst into the room with fear written all over her lovely face. Ghuad was right behind her and he was ashen grey, he looked as though he had seen a ghost.

Thranduil winced when he saw her step father, feared that Ghuad would blame him for the whole misery. Naragh cut a grimace, he was covered in blood to his elbows and Shanrae fainted from the sight. Ghuad caught her before she could hit the floor and Naragh hissed while he cleaned the last wounds. "Place her in that chair, I'll deal with her later"

Ghuad remained standing there and Thranduil felt his heart beat in a wild rhythm. Ghuad sighed, looked at him and his eyes showed only gratitude. "Shanrae told me what happened, I am glad you managed to get her back here so fast. People in the streets claim you rode like a devil."

Thranduil could only muster up a very faint smile and Naragh placed a bottle on the table and uncorked it. A very pungent scent filled the room and Ghuad went pale from it. "Oh gods, is that what I think it is, oh my poor girl!"

Thranduil looked at Ghuad and Naragh with confusion written all over his handsome face and Ghuad turned around and looked like he wanted to be gone from the place sooner rather than later. Naragh grinned, a very wicked grin. "This fluid will clean the wounds and prevent infections but it burns like hell, Ghuad has some experience with the stuff."

Ghuad grunted, he seemed to almost shrink a little for a second. "The bitch that was her mother used that stuff on me, I have never screamed like that in my entire life!"

Naragh gave Thranduil a determined glance. "Hold her, and don't let go. Here goes"

He lifted the bottle and poured from it right into the wounds, Thilian went completely rigid, and then she screamed and Thranduil thought he never had heard such a terrible sound before. He felt like crying and he was stroking her head without even knowing that he did it. He could see that the fluid appeared to boil within the wounds and she was shivering in spasms like she was dying. Her eyes had rolled back into her head and she made strange wailing sounds from the back of her throat. It was horrible to watch.

Naragh then injected her with something and she relaxed again, went limp like a piece of dead meat and the healer started to stitch the wounds back together. He let his best apprentice, a half elven man take care of the minor wounds while he dealt with the huge gashes. Ghuad was trying to help Shanrae who were coming back to her senses again, she was pale and obviously dizzy so he lifted her up and carried her off to their own rooms. Thranduil saw that Thilian was unconscious now and Naragh poured something into her throat and made her swallow. Then he counted her heartbeats and held a hand on her forehead. "She is so cold, damn it"

He waved at his helpers. "Bring me a tub and hot water, now!"

The men ran off and came back with a rather huge bathtub it took four men to carry. Some servants came carrying several buckets of hot water from the kitchens and they poured it into the tub. Naragh started tearing the rest of her clothes off her, Thranduil stared down and felt deeply troubled by it. Naragh threw him an angry and determined glance. "If you care about her, then help me. I don't care if you are too goddamn shy to look at a curvy young woman or to sexually frustrated to touch her without getting a hard on, I need you to make yourself useful or you may leave the room now!"

Thranduil was blushing so bad he felt his ears burn, he just nodded and tried not to look down upon her as they carefully lifted her up and gently lowered her into the tub. She groaned and twitched and Naragh held his fingers on her carotid artery to monitor her pulse. He cut a grimace and his face told of concern and doubt. "Damn it, she really knows how to mess things up for herself this one."

Thranduil frowned. "Oh? Has she been in trouble before?"

Naragh nodded. "Oh indeed she has, I am sure you know of her problems yes? One of the first times she and Shanrae visited this place she broke into my storage of medicine and ate at least two boxes of pills. I think she tried to end her own life and to her all the pills probably looked the same so she just took some and hoped they would be the end of her."

Thranduil was staring at her face in absolute shock, to an elf the very concept of suicide is just unimaginable. It is a complete taboo. "What happened?"

Naragh sighed and started to lay fresh bandages out on the table. "She regretted it, very much so too. None of the pills she had taken were lethal but my oh my how she suffered for a few days."

Thranduil felt so sorry for her, he now understood how deeply troubled she really was. When the only seemingly good way out of it was to choose to die then you really had hit rock bottom. "Suffered?"

His voice did shake and he wished he could explain to her how he felt. Naragh grinned. "Yeah, those pills were a type I made for Dheg, for horses with constipation. And some were diuretic pills or pills we use to help people with muscle spasms. Needless to say the mix proved to be a rather…explosive one"

Thranduil felt the corners of his mouth quiver but he did not laugh, he could not laugh at something that really was tragic. "So she had a tough time?"

Naragh grinned. "Pretty accurate yes, she did not leave the toilet for three whole days, we were giving her two gallons of water every hour so she would not dehydrate and boy, I have never seen Ghuad that furious or so much in despair. "

The elf could understand that, he would have felt the same way too if his son was ill and had done something equally stupid. He could remember the one time Legolas had been ill as a child, he had eaten some unripe fruits and had a belly ache for days and he could still recall that terrible helpless feeling he had had. The poor elfling had been bawling and crying and the healers had given him an enema which had resulted in the boy becoming terrified of them. He shook the memory away, it was not the time to dwell in the past.

Naragh felt Thilians forehead again, smiled. "Good, she is warming up, we can lift her out of the tub."

They grasped onto the unconscious girl and placed her back on the table. Thranduil tried not to look at her, he felt like he was violating her in some way by seeing her like that but Naragh noticed and just chuckled. "Don't worry lad, it's all natural. I can see that you like what you are seeing, don't be ashamed of it. She is a true gem wouldn't you say?"

Thranduil could only swallow hard and nod. That man was reading his thoughts, he was pretty damn sure of it. Naragh dressed the wounds with fresh bandages, then he made one of the servants go get a night gown and told Thranduil to braid her hair so it wouldn't get too tangled up. He followed the order and wondered at how soft her hair was and how it felt like the finest satin against his hands. Naragh gave her yet another injection and told Thranduil to lift her and follow him. He gently gathered her up into his arms and Naragh went to her room, it was almost identical to the one Thranduil had gotten and very cozy. The elf looked at the healer with a puzzled expression. "Why can't she stay at the infirmary, I stayed there before I got well again?"

Naragh cut a grimace. "To her it will feel better to stay within familiar surroundings, where she feels safe. "

Thranduil placed her on the bed, very gently. It was a huge bed and it looked very comfortable and the blankets were thick and soft. It was obvious that this was her private room and reserved for only her. They did have plenty of space there so it was no wonder. "Somebody will have to keep an eye on her, who?"

Naragh turned around with a snigger. "You will!"

Thranduil looked terrified, he almost backed out of the door again. "Me? Heck no, I can't.."

Naragh's eyes got very narrow. "You can't what? Stay in the same room as her without thinking about how nice it would feel to fuck her? Listen up, you do truly care for her, and do not try to pretend like you don't because I have eyes, I can see. Many here thinks she is crazy, none of the masters or the priestesses of course but the others. They don't really care if she were to perish. I trust you Thranduil, oh I know you are tempted, badly tempted too but you will never cross the line. "

The elf looked at the old man with a bit of confusion and also a small growing feeling of pride. He felt proud that Naragh in fact put that much fate in him. "Why are you saying this?"

Naragh raised an eyebrow and grinned. "You have honor my friend, lots of it actually. You would never disrespect her or worse, abuse her. I know you would love to touch her, be with her also as a lover but you will never try to force her into something she would regret later on. I am right and I know it"

Thranduil looked a bit stunned. "How can you know so much about me?"

Naragh sighed and smiled, a somewhat sad smile. "I have learned to read people through the years, and I remember what you told me about your wife and your wild youth. "

Thranduil tried to recollect his thoughts and Naragh pushed a huge armchair into the bedchamber. He placed it by her bed and placed some blankets in it. "So, there you go. I'll come back in a couple of hours to check in on her."

The elf sat down reluctantly, Naragh tucked the girl in and made sure that she was placed in a comfortable position before he left the room. Thilian had not moved an inch and she was so quiet Thranduil had to really use his ears to make sure she actually was breathing. The room fell quiet and he started to feel tired. It was early in the evening but the day felt like it had lasted a lifetime. He stretched his long legs and yawned, he knew he was supposed to stay awake but the harder he struggled the more difficult it felt and his eyelids felt like they were made out of lead. Before he really knew it he had fallen asleep.

He was dreaming again, he was standing in the woods outside of the palace and it was a beautiful sunny day. He could hear happy voices and then he suddenly heard his son's voice, cheerful and filled with tenderness. "Watch out little one, I am gonna get you!"

He turned around to see a small girl running down the path with Legolas right behind her. She had hair like dark bronze and shimmering blue eyes and suddenly he realized that he knew her. He had just not met her yet. The girl laughed and Legolas lifted her while he made buzzing sounds, he was smiling all along. "Don't put me down Legolas, I want to fly!"

"Little one, you are going to make your big brother tired, where do you get that energy from?"

The voice was familiar, Thilian came walking towards the two of them and she was clearly pregnant, she had one hand laying on her belly and she was smiling. She was so beautiful she did outshine the sun itself. "Naneth, Legolas is gonna teach me how to fly!"

Thilian grinned and grabbed the girl, lifted her into her own arms. "I am sure he will but for now my dearest we are going to have a bath and a good meal and then it will be time to sleep."

The girl sulked. "I don't want to sleep"

Thilian stroked her hair. "Oh but you have to, you have to be strong and ready when your little brother arrives remember? "

He stared at the scene and felt his heart shiver, was this a vision of the future? Oh by the Valar how he wanted it to come true. It was everything he ever could have wanted and more and he could not stop staring at them, his family. He suddenly heard a voice from behind him. "It is such a lovely scene don't you think? I wish the same thing as you my son, I really do. I pray that this will be reality, that you will be surrounded by love."

He turned around very slowly, stared at his father's ghost once more. "So what must I do?"

His voice was shivering and low and he feared to see this beauty disappear.

Oropher smiled. "You know what to do, deep within your heart you have always known what to do. You just have to admit it to yourself."

Thranduil swallowed and his eyes followed her like she was his last hope. "I…I don't understand."

Oropher shook his head. "Well then, allow me to help you remember!"

Suddenly he stood in the throne room, his father was on the throne and he could see himself standing in front of it, head bowed but obviously ablaze with anger. "I don't give a damn about what you are saying, I am not going to do it, you cannot force me. No!"

Oropher looked as calm as always. "You will do as I tell you to, there is no discussion. Whence you are married you may start to like her, even love her."

His own voice cut through his very soul. "There is no such thing as love, it is a lie!"

They stood outside of the palace once more and he saw how his family walked together towards the entrance. "Do you understand now?"

Orophers voice was mild and gentle and he closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes adar, I understand."

His father smiled and faded away. "Good, then you do know what to do!"

He woke up with a start and at first he did not know where he was. He was sitting in the chair with his head resting on the top of it and his left leg had fallen asleep. He grunted and massaged it, stared at Thilian. She was laying there motionless and only her moving chest told him she was alive. He gasped and felt tears running down his face, wiped them away with an expression of confusion on his face. Then he remembered the dream and his heart swelled within him with both hope and fear. Could it come true, could she become what he had seen, the happy loving mother of his children? He knew what to do, he had to lay his heart open, be completely vulnerable and accept love for what it was and what it ought to be. A perfect union of souls. He had to forget all about the man he had once been and dedicate himself completely to somebody else and for the first time in his life he felt like he was really ready for that kind of commitment. He loved his son of course but this was another kind of love and he had been afraid of it his whole life. He could see that now, he was afraid to lose himself within these strong emotions he had seen others enjoy, he had believed himself to be stronger than they were, more in control of his own feelings. He had been deathly afraid of letting somebody see the real Thranduil and he swore to himself there and then that he never ever would lie to her, not in any way.

She was so beautiful. As rare as the most precious of gems and he felt like he wanted to climb into the bed and lay down next to her and stay there forever. He would gladly lay down his life for her, she was his world from now on, she and the children they might get. It brought another thought to his mind, his first wife had died in childbirth. What if the same thing happened to Thilian? The very idea was gruesome, unbearable. He swallowed hard and tried to calm himself down. Could there be any way of avoiding that danger? He snorted, got a funny expression on his normally calm face. He could of course try to be satisfied with just living with her and stay clear of her bed? He could hear a little voice in his head and it was very sarcastic and dry. _Yeah right _it said, _we all know how well that will work, idiot! You'll probably end up with an extremely calloused right hand_.

Then he remembered what Shanrae had told him of dragons and he realized that she actually could be infertile, at least with somebody not of her own race. He could see that image again, their child, their lovely daughter. He wanted that to happen, by the Gods how he wanted it to be real. He had to ask Naragh, maybe he knew a little more about these matters. He would be extremely embarrassed to ask but he knew he had to swallow all of his pride to find the answers he was looking for.

And then it came to Thilian's own ideas and needs, it could be that he never managed to patch her wounded heart and soul back together again, that she would turn her back on him no matter what he did. That thought made his stomach drop and his heart felt like a rock, it would be the death of him for sure. He would have to do absolutely everything within his power to gain her trust and make her accept their fate. He sighed and tried to find a more comfortable position, the chair was made for someone a lot shorter than himself. After a while he managed to relax and since it was well after midnight he fell asleep again. This time without any more dreams.

Thilian was waking up with a feeling of intense agony, she moaned and could not remember what had happened. She was in her own bed but how had she ended up there? Then she remembered and twitched, oh gods, that animal! And then Thranduil had burned her wounds! She suddenly felt that she wasn't alone and turned her head very slowly. She gasped when she saw that he sat in the chair next to her bed, he was fast asleep and she gasped and shook her head to clear her mind. She bit her lip, why was he there? He had saved her but she could not understand why, why would anyone bother with her? Shanrae and Ghuad were like her parents, they had to but to everybody else she was just a nuisance.

He had carried her back home, she could remember sitting on a horse in front of him and she remembered her own panic and then the strange sensation which had flowed through her. She had given up, simply stopped to care anymore and then she all of a sudden felt safe, protected like never before. It was as if some voice had whispered to her that she could trust him with her very soul and she felt that it was the truth. But she had no idea as to why, she looked at him again. He was so handsome, beautiful even. His rather sharp features and usually haughty expression made him look both majestic and distant, like some force of nature you could admire from a distance but never get too close to. They were alike, she saw it now. She too tried to keep her distance to others. But he had seen through her masquerade and seen the real Thilian, at least for a short moment and it scared her so much.

She could not let him any closer, she could not reveal the ugliness she was hiding, the monster she truly was at heart. He was so lovely, she held her breath as she admired how his long silky hair fell down his shoulders and his large but oh so perfect hands. He had such long elegant legs and his chest and shoulders were wide, she had seen how muscular and lean he was, he looked like some great cat or something like that and she remembered how he had killed that sting tail. He had not hesitated even for a second, he just did it, killed it to save her. One part of her was so impressed and in awe of him and the other half terrified. She could not allow herself to go all soft and weak just because of a pretty face. But he did make her feel safe, and she had a weird sensation within every time he had looked at her. It was as if she somehow knew him, but how? She had never met him before and she moaned in confusion. What was she to do?

The door opened and Naragh entered, he carried a tray of food and she could tell that it was enough for two. She wanted to hiss at him and tell him that the darn elf could eat somewhere else but then she remembered strong warm arms embracing her and keeping her safe and she swallowed the harsh words. She was no barbarian, she was grateful in some ways.

Naragh checked her temperature and she watched him awaken the elf who looked a bit startled by the fact that he had slept for so long. She hid a smile, he looked so cute when he was confused. Her wounds hurt a lot and she swore when Naragh helped her getting up so she could eat, it was a habit of hers but not one she was proud of, far from it. It was just that it kept people away from her, away from harm.

The elf stretched and yawned and got a tray of his own, Naragh had brought them a jug of thin ale to go with the food and also some fresh juice. The healer felt her wrist and counted her heartbeats, all with a very polite but somewhat distant expression upon his face. "I am gonna give you something against your pain, and if you start to feel feverish you let me know right away"

She could only nod and heard how her stomach rumbled at the sight of the food. Jalisa had a habit of spoiling everybody who got sick or injured and this time she had clearly outdone herself. The tray was filled with bread still warm from the oven, some very nice cheese and nuts and fruit mixed with yoghurt. She had also put a small jar of jam on their trays and Thilian knew that Jalisa was a master at making the stuff. From the scent and color this had to be strawberries mixed with raspberries and perhaps even cherries.

Naragh left and Thilian pretended like she was alone there, she did not even look at the elf who reluctantly started to eat. He got a surprised look within his eyes and suddenly he appeared to have an appetite after all. No wonder, it was delicious and Thilian ate until she felt rather stuffed. She burped and blushed slightly, the elf did not seem to notice. He had been very busy with the bread and the jam, it seemed like the combination was new to him but very much to his liking. Thilian sighed and leaned back against the headrest, she felt a little dizzy and her leg and hip hurt but she guessed that she deserved it. She had been a fool but she would never agree on it to anyone.

Thranduil saw that she finished eating and she looked very cute but also a bit introverted. He could sense that his presence there was unwanted but he had to reach her somehow. He removed the trays and sat back in the chair, he tried to find anything to say. Thilian kept staring into the wall and the awkward silence made the atmosphere a little unpleasant. Thranduil bit his lower lip, he hawked and she turned her head and looked at him, she was still hostile but not quite as aggressive as before. "So, your name, I have never heard it before?"

Thilian looked down, her eyes looked angry but he had seen through her little lies now. "It is just a name."

Thranduil tried to smile, what he really wanted was to hold her close to him forever but if he tried she would probably scream and go completely nuts again. "A name is never just a name, do you know what it means?"

Thilian nodded, she looked at him through loose locks of hair which reminded him of the colors of a forest in autumn, He wanted to touch it, but he managed to remain calm and apparently relaxed.

She mumbled. "It means bringer of mist. They call the first night of frost that, it marks the end of summer and start of winter."

Thranduil looked a bit surprised. "That is really beautiful"

Thilian looked at him with a frown. "You really mean it?"

He nodded. "Yes, that's almost poetry. Bringer of mist, I think it fits you somehow"

She cocked her head, he had made her curious, perhaps he was more than just a pretty face and a haughty attitude after all. "How come?"

Thranduil smiled and his eyes got a distant expression. "Have you ever walked through a forest in the first light of the day, when the mist still covers the ground and everything looks like it is enchanted, put under some ancient spell? When the light makes the droplets on every straw and branch shine like diamonds and the air is so fresh and filled with scents it is like walking through a cloud of the best perfumes ever made?"

Thilian gave him a glance filled with disbelief, he did indeed know how to use words and she felt a bit confused. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all? "I…I have not, I have never had the chance."

Thranduil swallowed. "What do think if I promise you I will show you the forest whenever you'd like to. "

She looked down. "I don't think that would be such a good idea, look what just happened to me."

Thranduil cut a grimace. "I'll be there to protect you, nothing is gonna harm you I promise"

She looked angry again. "Oh no? You have no idea of the harm I am capable of inflicting, can you protect me from myself, can you protect yourself from me?"

She was staring straight into his eyes and he saw her fear once more, the regret and the shame of what she once had done. "I am not afraid of you Thilian."

His voice was very calm and steady and there was a warmth within it which made her panic, he could not care! He should not care! She hurt everybody who cared for her, eventually she would drive him away from her as she had with everybody else who dared to get involved with her. She gasped and leaned over, got as close to him as she could and snarled. "No?! But you should be afraid of me, can't you see I am a monster? I should not even have been born, I am a freak! You will end up being burned if you try to stay near me, fear the beast!"

She screamed the last words, her voice almost cracked and she shivered all over. Thranduil did not know what he was thinking about, but suddenly he was leaning towards her, his voice but a dangerous growl. "Bullshit, you are no monster, no more than me. I am no stranger to fire!"

He forced it forth, the memory of his old injury, made it appear once more upon his face. He did not know where his sudden wrath came from but he guessed that it had to do with the way she thought about herself. His face was so close to hers he almost touched it and she stared at the gruesome sight with eyes that opened up wide in horror and shock. She placed one hand across her mouth with a startled little shriek and threw herself back towards the headrest, pale and terrified.

The anger left him like someone had put a needle to a balloon. What the hell had he been thinking about? He had frightened her and he stared at her with shock within his eyes. How was he gonna explain this to her? His face looked normal again and then she did something he never could have expected. She leaned towards him again and slowly she raised her hand and touched the skin where the injury had been. It was such a gentle touch, he could barely feel it but it made his heart shiver. She had tears in her eyes and her lower lip shivered. "Oh gods, oh no! Who did that to you?"

Thranduil had sworn to himself never to lie to her. "A dragon!"

Thilians eyes got even wider and she shivered. "What happened?"

He took a deep breath. "I killed it, I killed a dragon Thilian, one of your kin perhaps, so who's the monster now?"

She stared at him and he saw tears in those beautiful eyes, he was sure that he had done it this time, she would hate him forever. Thilian gasped and then she suddenly threw herself forwards and placed her arms around his neck, embraced him tightly. "I am so sorry, so sorry! It hurt you! Scarred your lovely face!"

He was in shock, the feeling of her arms around his neck, of her warmth and smell so close to him. It felt so good he had to close his eyes in sheer disbelief. "It is healed, what you saw was just a memory, an illusion"

Thilian was crying, she touched his cheek once more and he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling. "You must have been so brave, to endure that."

He did not want to answer, he just wanted to sit there and enjoy the contact. She slowly released him and he sighed, he wanted her to remain where she had been but he knew she had reached her limits. Thilian had a very vulnerable expression within her eyes and he grasped her hand very gently and held it. "Thilian you are no monster, you never were a monster and you will never be a monster, and do you know why?"

She swallowed, looked so incredibly young and hurt and he wanted to protect her, for all eternity. "No, why?" Her voice was just a faint gust of air and he smiled at her, his most comforting smile, the way he had smiled when his son had felt sad or hurt himself.

"It is not who you are that defines you as a monster, it is what you do and why!"

She shivered and sobbed. "I burned those men, and I have injured others"

Thranduil gently lifted her face towards him with a finger underneath her chin. "If you were a monster Thilian, as you claim you are, you would not have felt regret or shame. You would have enjoyed it, enjoyed their deaths, bragged about it even. You are no monster, you are a very lovely and lonely young soul born with a burden you never asked for. Am I not right?"

His voice was so soft and she bit her lower lip, she shivered from his touch but somehow he did not frighten her like others had. There were no hidden motifs behind his gentle caress, no malice. She looked down, her eyelashes so long and thick he never had seen anything like them. "Yes, you are right"

He sighed and caressed her chin with his thumb. "I would never see a monster when I look at you Thilian, no matter what you do. I would only see you, Thilian"

She bit her lip again, her eyes pleading. "How is that possible? Everybody thinks I am horrible"

Thranduil looked her deep into the eyes. "That's because you never have allowed anyone to see the real you. You expect to get hurt so you try to hurt them first. But that makes you feel awful right? And even more hurt and then it just grows inside of you until there is nothing but hurt and doubt left."

She stared at him in disbelief. "How can you know this? You…you are right!"

He sighed and gave her a sad smile. "Because I have felt the same way, believe me"

She reached up, let her finger follow his profile down his forehead and nose, she had a puzzled expression on her face. "How can you feel doubt? You are…you are perfect!"

Thranduil let out a sigh. "That's where you are wrong meleth nin, so very wrong!"

She frowned. "What does that mean? Please, speak common to me, I don't understand a single syllable elvish?"

He smiled at her. "No? Then we'll have to do something about that"

She cocked her head and looked very charming and eager, he swallowed hard, was this really the time to reveal to her how he felt or was it too early?

He was gathering his courage to explain those words to her when there was a creaking noise and the door slowly opened. Shanrae walked in with a basket filled with clean clothes. She grinned and Thranduil felt both relief and disappointment. Saved by the bell, he would surely have said something stupid again. Shanrae smiled and placed the basket on the floor. "I brought you some new clothes. I am so glad you feel better, and how nice it is that you and Thranduil are talking."

Thilian grimaced but there was a small glimpse of humor within her eyes and Thranduil winked at her. "Oh, he has promised me he will teach me elvish"

Shanrae lifted an eyebrow in an expression which looked impressed. "Really? Good luck with that, I mean, how wonderful!"

She looked a bit stunned, normally nobody managed to stay more than a couple of hours in the same room as Thilian unless she was asleep. The girl was blushing slightly and Shanraes eyes got a bit narrow while she threw a suspicious glance at the two of them. She had a strong feeling that something was going on, something she somehow didn't quite manage to unravel. "I'll sit with her a while now Thranduil, I guess you have things to do, training and stuff?"

He got up, he did not really want to leave but if he insisted on staying he would arise suspicions. And he did not feel like explaining his intentions to anyone yet, it was bad enough trying to make Thilian understand that he really truly cared about her. He had problems leaving the room and went straight for the bath. He needed a very long swim and he needed to clear his head. He could just pray that his words had hit home and made an impression on her. Then he remembered that she's might ask the other elves there for the meaning of the words he had said in elvish and he sighed and leaned against the wall, eyes closed and moaning. How was he going to handle that problem?


	8. Chapter 8

Yaay, a new chapter! I have not been able to write that much the last couple of days, much work  
**Hmm, ants, mud and leeches? Sounds like quite a combo wouldn't you think, I just want to torture the characters a little, to serve my wicked muse. I got the idea reading another fan fiction story, someone mentioned that getting undressed in the woods could bring the risk of ants invading your clothes and bingo, an idea was born.  
I am a little on the humorous side too here, but its also a lot of serious stuff. Thranduil gets a small lesson about racism and yes, he is in love with her but are his feelings returned? Will she surrender to the inevitable? Where in this picture does the ants, the mud and the leeches fit in?**

Definitely an M, you are warned. No, they won't go all the way, yet!

**Chapter Eight Ants, mud and leeches**

You may see the path you once wandered

The path ahead is yet unseen

Forget the things you thought you knew

And a brand new world you will know

It was difficult, he really had no idea as to what he should do. He could not insist on staying with her the whole time but with every breath of air he felt how he longed for her. Shanrae had kept Thilian company, and then Ghuad and Thranduil had not really managed to ask if he could stay with her again. After all, why should he? Then he remembered what she had told Shanrae, that he had promised her to be her teacher and he felt a glimpse of hope. But still he had to wait for a while so he wouldn't seem too eager and so he trained and did his everyday routines as before. It did not really work, he felt distracted and could not quite put his heart into it. There was no point in it if he didn't push himself and so he offered to help Dheg with the horses instead. Good hard work ought to help him clear his mind and he discovered that he actually liked it. He liked to feel useful, to do something with his own hands and Dheg was impressed by his attitude and willingness to help.

He was dead tired when he went to bed that night and fell asleep like a log the second his head hit the pillow. The next day he tried to muster up the courage to visit Thilian but Raigh caught him first. He had been busy training some apprentices and now he needed someone who could test them and discover their weaknesses and flaws. They needed someone used to fight in a different style than the one they were used to and Raigh believed that Thranduil was a good choice. And besides from that, he could need the practice too. He could not disagree, Raigh was right, he could need some practical challenges and he also needed to feel useful. He was given charge of a small group of ten young men and he soon discovered that he liked it. He really enjoyed testing them out and he was surprised by how fast they learned and saw through his entirely different strategies and moves. They showed him such respect and were so polite and neither of them knew of his royal status. They respected him because of his skills, not because of his name or background and that feeling was in fact very good.

He also helped Dheg and so a couple of days went by before he had a chance to speak with Thilian again. He felt horrible for having waited for that long, he had a huge empty void within his soul when he was away from her and it made him a bit cranky. She was getting better, the wounds had luckily not gotten infected and were healing just fine but Shanrae was furious because the girl tried to scratch them. It itched like crazy and even though that was a good sign and showed that the wounds in fact were healing fast it made the girl go almost insane. Shanrae was very grateful when Thranduil offered to keep her busy for some hours each day.

He knew how awful it had to feel to be confined to that one room for several days, and he wished to lighten up her mood. He brought some paper and a pencil and tried to draw things he had seen back home. Thilian was fascinated, she made him draw portraits of important people, maps and even images of the dress styles of different races. He had not been drawing for years but his skills seemed to return and he found it both entertaining and in a strange way rewarding. Slowly he also started to teach her the elvish words for different objects, he drew them and wrote the name underneath and she kept the drawings and studied them when he was busy elsewhere.

She was still a very introverted person, she rarely opened up but when she did she revealed a girl filled with curiosity and wonder. It appeared that these few moments of freedom appeared when something caught her attention to a degree where she forgot about herself and existed within the moment. She was so wonderful when she did, so alive, so vibrant and in every way stunning. She embraced life with such joy and he could see that she could be just as mischievous as Enez and as firm and adamant as Akisha or Frostbird. She had a small naughty streak to her too, and he wondered if she had been a rather difficult one to raise.

Somehow she reminded him of a wild animal that's been trapped and kept within a cage for too long. She had almost given up her hope of regaining her freedom. That mother of hers had a lot of things to answer for, too bad she was dead. Thranduil felt he would have liked to teach her a lesson or two. Thilian still had her fits, she could shout at him, try to act as if he wasn't there or use insults so bad he was shocked by the very fact that she knew those words. But she was making progress, he stood his ground and never even once did he allow her to get him out of balance emotionally. Slowly she started to relax when he was around and the frustration and anger she sometimes caused within him he vented when he was working.

The apprentices were making progress too and he was a little ashamed of himself when he realized that he had expected them to fail. He really had been more than a little prejudiced when it came to the skills of such young humans. He had started helping out whenever he could and he soon discovered that it was appreciated and welcome. He learned a lot he never had fought about before, at home he had expected everything to be in order and ready whenever he demanded it, he had never really realized how much work that had to be done in order to just organize say a small party.

He still could not touch her, she would back off and throw a tantrum if he did anything more than touch her hand by chance, but she was getting better. It was a slow process but she had started to trust him and he knew that he would have to get her to trust him completely before he even thought about taking it to the next level. Then one evening when he was pushing the apprentices through their routines a couple of strangers rode into the arena. They were welcomed by shouts and cheers and dismounted outside of the stables. Both wore thick cloaks and the tallest of them let go of the reins and pulled his cowl down. It was a young man, a human with a handsome face and a friendly appearance. He did have weird eyes though, they seemed to almost glow in a strange blue nuance and Thranduil felt a strange chill run down his spine. He knew he was facing something unnatural, something only very ancient and wicked magic could create. His instincts had never let him down and his mouth went dry while his heart was speeding up. It was crazy, just one man could not possibly be a threat and still his body went into defense mode right away. The others seemed to welcome him so he was no enemy, Thranduil didn't really know what to do.

Then the other rider pulled of the heavy cloak and he yelped, he could not help it, he let out a rather startled and shocked little noise filled with confusion. A black elf?! He had never even imagined a creature like this. It was a female, and she was indeed black. Black skin, black hair and black eyes which seemed to have a strange red glow to them, and still she was a beauty to behold. She was very elegant and moved with undeniable grace, she was rather tall and reminded him a bit of Akisha, she had the same relaxed and smooth moves which could turn into lightning quick and lethal action within the blink of an eye. She reminded him of a black panther, of a mamba or even a bit of Ghuad. Steel wrapped in silk, death disguised as beauty.

The man noticed the sound he made and frowned, Raigh apparently explained who he was and signaled Thranduil to come closer. He reluctantly did, sensed that this couple was something so out of this world he really had no way of making any sense of what he felt. Raigh grinned. "Thranduil, this is Janrem and Carmariel, they live her but they have been visiting his home city for some months. He was homesick."

Janrem looked at the elf with a friendly and very open expression within his eyes, he saw that the stranger was shocked by Carmariel but they had gotten used to that by now. People either found her very fascinating or they ran away. This elf looked as if he couldn't decide which option to choose. "Pleased to meet you."

The man reached out and Thranduil did shake his hand but got a major shock, the hand was rather cold and he could not feel any pulse, any life. The elf gasped and Janrem smiled, a melancholic smile. "Yeah, you are right, I am not alive but I am not dead either, Long story, but don't worry, I mean no harm. I only hurt those who deserve it. Believe me. "

Thranduil just nodded but could not help but feel a bit of antagonism, this was downright wrong, unnatural. Janrem appeared to be a truly likeable person but Thranduil did not quite manage to overcome his initial response. The black elf looked at him, smiled. She cocked her head and he realized that she was very young, even by human standards. He was startled by her appearance but he sensed that she had been through a lot of hurt in her life, that they had something in common. Her story had to be a very violent and ugly one indeed for her to develop such an aura of darkness and fear. Thranduil tried to be polite, he bowed to her and took her hand, kissed it even and she giggled and her eyes seemed to sparkle. "How chivalrous of you."

Her voice was smooth and gentle and his initial fear subsided, she was just another type of elf. Raigh grinned. "Come friends, I bet Jalisa is going to explode with rage if you don't visit her right away."

Thranduil remained standing there, looking at the two who disappeared through the doors to the dining hall, why had he reacted in such a way? He had the answer after a round of introspection, he always expected trouble, dangers even. He never met someone thinking of them as a new friend until he was proven that they weren't an enemy. He had gotten so used to being negative towards changes he really expected the worst the whole time.

He finished the training session and then he helped Dheg train some young colts before he had a bath and a short swim. It felt good to get rid of the dust and grime and he was getting rather hungry so he went to the dining room. It was full, because of the show they had hired more people to help prepare everything and Jalisa and her girls were running around with a bit of desperation in their glances and their arms filled with jugs, plates and cutlery. He sat down but he could see Ghuad waving at him and so he got up again and sat down by Ghuads table with a feeling of being under scrutiny. Ghuad smiled and emptied a jug of ale in a most impressive time and Jalisa dropped a plate in front of the elf. It was filled with a piece of steak so huge he shivered just looking at it. Back home he did not really eat meat a lot, it wasn't their habit. Here on the other hand it was part of the everyday diet and he had gotten used to it but it still made him cringe when he was presented with such huge portions. Ghuad smiled and looked at the cook through the corner of his eye, he was smirking. "She is trying to fatten us all up, I swear she is."

Thranduil just grinned, he felt sorry for the poor bull this steak came from. Carmariel came and sat down by the table to and he could not stop staring at her. She was so very different. Ghuad cleaned his teeth with a toothpick. "So, how is the training going?"

The elf had to smile, he felt a bit proud of himself and of the apprentices not the least. "Well, I am really impressed by how fast they are learning."

Ghuad leaned forward and grinned. "You know, it is rather common to think that way, to underestimate humans. They live such short lives and they do so many weird things, but I am telling you, they are really a lucky bunch. It is like they squeeze everything we spend centuries or even millennia exploring into just a few decades, they really enjoy a distilled version of life. I envy them that sometimes. "

Thranduil looked a bit shocked by the things Ghuad told him. "Really?"

Ghuad nodded. "Compared with us they are like shooting stars but just watch what they accomplish within the short time they have. It's like that in every world my friend."

Thranduil had a feeling that Ghuad knew about middle earth as well as this world, after all, Elywen had told him there were an almost infinite amount of worlds. "I have not really liked humans, there was a time when I really hated them."

Ghuad nodded. "I know the feeling. I was once a rather bad one, then I was captured and had to spend some millennia within a mountain as a sort of guardian, damn, being left alone for that long does something to you. So when the people here set me free I decided to serve the goddess and learn more about humans, I was really curious about them."

He shrugged. "I used to see them as inferior creatures, little more than insects. But I have learned to respect them."

Thranduil sighed, he felt a little ashamed of himself. He had been so damn arrogant, he had never even considered any other race than his own worthy of attention. "I have too, but I guess I have more to learn. I have been rather stupid in some ways."

Ghuad grinned, his teeth were rather scary but the grin was pretty none the less. "Listen up, believing in what you have been told is no sin, but being too damn lazy to check things out for yourself is. I mean, I was told that dwarves were stubborn, arrogant and stupid. I have learned that yes, they are stubborn but they are also amazingly robust, far less interested in wealth than I expected and very family oriented. The more you learn the more you realize how wrong all the old tales are."

Thranduil stared down into the table, he sighed again and looked at Carmariel, she had finished her food and was licking the plate clean, it was such a weird thing to do but it told him she was used to living close to starvation. "My father was very friendly towards the humans who visited home, but I hardly ever met any. I was under the impression that humans were almost like us, at least for a while. "

Carmariel looked a bit curious. "Really, what happened?"

He took a deep breath. "Some friends of mine got killed by a group of humans, they were bandits, villains only out to seek death and destruction. Three of my friends got killed right away, but they kidnapped the only female and the youngest male."

He looked down, the memory was an old one, he had barely come of age when it happened but he still remembered it. And he remembered the shock he had felt when he realized that there were people out there who were able to do such terrible things.

Carmariel was leaning back. "I guess one's experiences have a great impact on the way you view the world. What happened to the two they captured?"

Thranduil swallowed hard, his voice was shivering and he was glad they all did speak common or at least something so close to it the differences were minor, he did not want to repeat this. "When we found them the young ellon was already dead, he had simply let go. What they had done to them…"

He grasped on to his jug, just to hold something. "She was still alive, but she died just a few minutes later, she told us what had happened and then she too let go. She did not want to live anymore, not with the memories of what they had done to her. Those sadistic maniacs had raped them both, abused them in ways so terrible I couldn't believe it. I had never seen real evil before, but now I did and it scared me so bad I never completely trusted human beings again."

Ghuad nodded, his eyes were calm. "I can understand that, but remember, there is good and evil in everyone, race is irrelevant to such matters. "

Carmariel grinned and caught his glance. "Listen to him my friend, for he is wise. Back where I am from dark elves are the bad guys, at least most of them. Yes my skin is dark and so are the rest of my kin but their hearts are even darker still. It is how you are raised and what you have experienced that shapes someone into becoming a thing of evil, not your birth. I am a good example, if I was like my kin you would all be in danger, believe me. But you are not, because I was raised to embrace the light, and taught to seek what's good."

He had a little problem being able to imagine elves as evil but the look within her eyes convinced him, perhaps he really should reconsider his racist attitudes.

Thranduil grimaced and tried to eat but he had lost his appetite and just grabbed some fruit from a bowl. He wondered how Thilian felt about such philosophical questions, she seemed like a rather intelligent person and she was such a fast learner too. He was looking forward to their next lessons. He had not answered her question yet, he had taught her a lot of elvish already but not the meaning of those two words, he felt the time wasn't right.

Thilian on the other hand was bored, she had not been allowed to leave the room yet and Naragh checked in on her every day. The wounds were healing but she still felt a little weak and light headed. It was probably just natural since she had lost a lot of blood and Jalisa made sure she had plenty of nutritious food. She tried to walk a little and she did manage to stay on her legs but it did hurt and she was glad the injury hadn't been worse. Shanrae had the others there visiting her as often as possible just to keep her company and it did make things a little bit easier. She did try to make the time pass by in different ways, she tried to sew a little but it was boring. Enez came and told her a lot of rather funny stories and even Akisha dropped by and entertained her with some tales of her youth. She also tried to draw, it was not as easy as she had though it was, it fact it was rather difficult but she tried and since she was stubborn she did not want to stop until she got things the way she wanted them.

She was working on a drawing when Elywen dropped in, she had brought a couple of books and the tall elven female sat down and smiled. Thilian always felt a bit in awe of Elywen, they were of the same race almost but Elywen was so wise and so very sure of herself. She seemed to be almost perfect and Thilian was so envious of her in many ways. She thanked the flame haired woman for the books and sat down with the drawing again. Elywen cocked her head and her eyes got a bit narrow. "Why are you drawing him?"

Thilian gasped and felt herself blush, she was really trying to make a portrait of Thranduil and although it wasn't all that good it did show his personality rather well, both his rather haughty exterior and his far more likeable inner qualities. Thilian looked down, she tried to smile. "Ah, I just like to draw him, he has got such a special face wouldn't you say?"

Elywen nodded. "Yes, he makes quite an impact no doubt, you are rather good, that is a nice portrait."

Thilian grinned, she was not used to being praised in such a way. She suddenly remembered the words he had said and without really thinking she asked Elywen. "You are an elf, do you know what Meleth nin means?"

Elywen frowned. "Yes, it means my dear or my love. Where have you heard those words?"

Thilian swallowed, tried to act like nothing. "I guess I read them somewhere. "

Elywen could sense that the girl was lying and she sighed and closed her eyes for a second. Of course it could be true but her instincts told her that this was something else than just something Thilian had read. Only one person would have used those words and Elywen also knew that no elf would say something like that to anyone without meaning it. So that was the truth behind it all, this was the reason why he had been brought there.

Elywen looked at Thilian out of the corner of her eye, did the girl feel the same way about him? Thilian had great problems but would they stand in the way or had he already managed to break through her ice wall and reach her heart? Elywen just hoped he had, Thilian deserved all the love in the world and she knew that this stranger from a different world perhaps had just the right amount of sheer stubbornness and will to slowly turn Thilian around and onto a different path altogether.

Thilian waited for Elywen to leave, then she held the portrait up and felt her face burn red. What was she really thinking about? He was a friend, a very good friend but he could not possibly think about her as anything more than that, or could he? She felt so very insecure, so frightened. She had no idea of what it was that she felt whenever he was there, and she could not really dare to believe that he cared for her. Her mother had time and time over again told her that nobody else than herself ever would care, that everybody just wanted to exploit her and that she never should trust anyone. She had believed her mother's words for years but now she started to doubt them. Her mother had told her that nobody ever would want her, that she was a freak and that men only wanted to quench their desire with her body before they would leave her behind like trash.

It had been a truth she was rather familiar with, she had seen it in the eyes of many, and she had been thankful that her mother had warned her of the dangers. But now she started to doubt that all men were that bad. Ghuad wasn't that kind of a person for sure, he was treating her as if he was some very kind and protective big brother, the others at the circus were nice too. None of them looked at her in that specific way that made her skin just crawl.

She had looked at herself in a mirror several times, and she knew that she looked good, better than good actually. But she could not really believe that anybody would find her beautiful, her mother's words had grasped a hold of her and ruined much of her self-esteem. Thranduil had treated her like she was someone special, as if he really cared about her. And those words, did she really dare to believe that he felt anything for her, more than friendship? She did not really know how she felt about that idea, a part of her felt almost furious and the other half shivered with joy. She had seen through his façade just as he had with her, he was haughty, proud and sometimes just plain arrogant but it wasn't who he really was. She was sure that he was a completely different man when he was with his son, that he had hidden sides to him he never allowed anyone to see.

But could she dare to trust him? Her fears were still there, she shivered whenever anyone touched her even if it was by accident and she still felt like she had to strike first to prevent herself from getting hurt. But she knew the people at this place, she trusted them. They would never hurt her, never betray her or disappoint her in any way. Whenever she reacted in her usual rash ways it was simply because she was so used to that type of behavior she just didn't think about it and then she started to hate herself for being such a fool and grew even more angry. It was a vicious circle indeed and she feared where it would lead her, but she had been unable to break free from its spell. Now on the other hand she started to feel some hope, perhaps she could become someone else, the person she wanted to be. She was so close when she was with him, when he made her forget all about the past and caught her attention with his drawings and his tales. She loved to see how his eyes shone when he spoke about his son and the wonders of his own world and he too appeared more relaxed and more likeable in those moments.

She did look forward to their meetings and she tried to impress him by studying as hard as she could. She really wanted to see him smile at her, praise her for her skills and intelligence and sometimes his calm friendly voice brought her close to tears. She never allowed him to know this but it felt so damn good to be told that she actually could do something well. She wasn't used to it at all. He acted as if she was just Thilian, a normal person and not some weirdo born out of a rather unethical and secret experiment. He did not care, or at least it didn't seem that way.

She remembered when he rescued her and she started to think of him in a whole different way. She had never had anyone special in her life, she had closed her heart to everybody and tried to be strong by standing alone. But she too had longings and dreams, she too had dreamt of having someone special by her side, someone who was more than a friend. It made her ashamed of herself to think like that but she knew it was natural. She was a grown woman now, and although her experiences so far in life had been bad it did not mean that all such longings were bad? She remembered the few times he had touched her, it would have infuriated her just a week or two ago, now she allowed herself to dwell within those memories, cherish them and make them precious.

It was not until one evening in special that she finally started to realize what she really was heading into. She had been allowed to leave the room for the first time after her accident and she had walked along the stands with the help of Enez and Frostbird. Thranduil and Raigh had been training some men in the arena and the elf was demonstrating how a spear could be used with different fighting techniques. His movements were so fluid, so quick and yet so powerful and she had not been able to look at anything else. He wore only a loose white shirt and some rather dirty pants but he could have been wearing silk and satin, he did look like a king no matter what he wore. Enez and Frostbird did notice her eyes and her expression and they shared some rather mischievous glances, she was as easy to read as an open book. They had stood there watching for quite a while, Raigh was obviously someone the men admired, they knew him and they knew of his title, one they all wished to achieve. Thranduil on the other hand was a stranger but they sensed his authority and bowed to it without ever questioning him. He had discovered that he had a talent for this and he enjoyed the sessions a lot. He could even smile and share a joke with the men and it filled him with a new sensation of camaraderie and acceptance. It felt very good.

Thilian felt her cheeks burn when they started walking again, she had to get a real grip of herself so she didn't turn around and stare, it would reveal way too much.

That evening when she went to bed she had problems sleeping, she could not get him out of her head. She was tossing and turning around for a long time until she finally fell asleep due to pure fatigue. She woke up in the middle of the night with her sheets in a complete tangle, herself almost out of the bed and soaking with sweat. She gasped and managed to pull herself into the middle of the bed again, she had been dreaming, and what a dream! She blushed and covered her own face with her hands, how could she be so shameless? She had never had that kind of a dream before and didn't know whether to feel glad or scared. Her body ached, it was a pleasant ache but a nuisance none the less. She was no idiot, she knew what it was that she felt, knew what this insane longing was all about. Her nipples were hard and sensitive and she knew she was wet, and the images were still glued to her mind. She untangled the sheets, felt how her heart slowly found a more normal rhythm. She was shivering a bit and felt like giggling, no doubt she did have a very vivid imagination.

But it opened up a whole new set of questions, she had to be honest with herself. She could not deny what her heart was telling her and what her body had started to demand. She wanted him, and she wanted him bad too judging by the things she had dreamt. But could she dare to allow something like that to happen? Could she really trust him that much? Her mother's words still haunted her, if she let him have her, would he then turn his back on her and just forget her? Or did he really feel something for her, something stronger than just common lust? She sighed, he had never tried to make any advances towards her that indicated that he saw her as anything but a very dear friend. He had never tried to kiss her or touch her in any way that wasn't completely innocent and maybe he just thought of her as a friend and not as a female at all? Then she was in trouble, she could not lie about her feelings. Only the thought of him being with her in such an intimate way made her blood boil.

Did she dare to invite him? Could she even flirt? She had never tried to catch a man's attention in that way before and what if she could not control herself and went into a panic attack again? By the goddess, things had become very complicated, so much so that she felt like the thoughts would make her go nuts.

Thranduil tried to keep himself busy at all times, he managed to keep her out of her mind but not all the time. Raigh had noticed how absent minded the elf sometimes were and he soon understood why. The rumors were already flying thanks to Enez and Frostbird and it appeared that everybody there knew of the problem the elven king had. There was a lot of sniggering and whispering but he did not notice. He was so preoccupied with his own attempts at keeping his feelings hidden and under control he failed to see that he actually was doing the exact opposite of what he intended to do. He only felt well when he was with her, and his temper could flare and cause sudden outbursts when they had been apart for too long. Elywen told Hawk he acted like some love sick youth and the dark elf laughed and agreed. Thranduil would have been stunned if he had been able to see his own behavior, he was really showing off both his good and bad sides.

Shanrae was going to visit Thilian when she suddenly stopped in front of the door, she could hear Thilian laugh and it was a sound she rarely ever heard. It made her so stunned she just stood there and listened to the voices coming from the inside of the room. Thranduil was there and his voice was relaxed and warm, very friendly. Shanrae felt a bit ashamed of herself, she had no business eavesdropping like that but she felt like she had to. He had apparently told Thilian a joke because the girl was laughing so hard she had problems breathing. "And then they discovered that the woman he had brought with him for the night was in fact a half dwarf!"

Thilian was laughing again and Shanrae stared at the wall with a rather dumbfounded expression on her face. By the Goddess, he had managed to do what she and Ghuad had not, not in spite of years of effort. He had reached her! Shanrae felt like sitting down, it was a shock but a good one, a good one indeed. She and Ghuad would be grateful beyond words if he managed to patch her wounded soul back together again. Perhaps it was the sheer fact that Thranduil wasn't really trying to push her into anything that made it possible for him to reach her in such a way. Shanrae and Ghuad were almost like parents to Thilian and like some young people she was instinctively trying to free herself from their influence.

Shanrae had heard the rumors, so had Ghuad and even though they really didn't know whether or not to believe in them Shanrae now knew there was truth to them. Thranduil was in deed infatuated with Thilian and not just a little. They had noticed his wildly shifting mood and strange behavior and Shanrae sniggered to herself. He was trying to hide his emotions but it was like trying to hide a black dragon within a herd of sheep.

Shanrae had a strange grin on her face, she did regard Thilian as a friend, not as a step daughter. That would have been just weird since Thilian was just a few years younger than herself. Maybe it was time to have a small conversation just the two of them, she was really curious about Thilians emotions. If she felt the same way as him it was good, in fact it was wonderful. But if she did not then it would be a whole different matter. Shanrae knew that Thilian was very inexperienced when it came to men but she was an adult and far from ignorant. There had to be a way to make her reveal her true feelings. Shanrae would not let her friends suffer because of anything she could help them solve.

Thilian had told Thranduil a joke about a farmer and a goat, it was a very filthy one and the elf had looked deeply shocked at first, then he started to laugh a little and before long he was letting go of his dignity and laughed out loud. He had repaid with a story of his own and soon they had a small contest going on. The one telling the worst story won and they both tried to remember jokes and stories they normally never would even admit to having heard. Elven jokes are usually very long and complicated but she did manage to catch the point and giggled and laughed at the right places. Hers were more straight to the point but still funny and he enjoyed them. She did indeed have a small naughty side to her and he started to wonder how that could affect other aspects of her. He was very careful as to not reveal how he felt but that lively and somewhat wicked glimpse within her eyes was really attractive.

Thilian grinned again and closed the book she had placed within her lap, it was an illustrated guide to the different kingdoms of this realm and she had been showing him some interesting pages when they had drifted into telling jokes instead. She felt a bit tired and knew that he soon would have to return to his duties but she did not want to let him get away. "Naragh has told me I am as good as new, and I remember you promised me to show me more of the forest? The weather is nice so what about a small trip tomorrow?"

Thranduil swallowed, the two of them alone in the woods? He tried to smile and look relaxed and scolded himself for having such thoughts right away. "Of course, if you feel like you are well enough. Can you ride?"

Thilian put up her most innocent expression. "I thought I could sit up with you? I felt so safe the last time?"

Thranduil managed to keep his voice steady. "That's fine with me, I will tell Dheg to hold a horse ready. After breakfast?"

She nodded. "After breakfast!"

Thranduil nodded and said his goodbyes, he felt a small shivering sensation of anticipation and he had a feeling that this could be quite a challenge. How in the name of Eru was he going to keep his self-control with her in front of him in the saddle? He turned on his heel and headed for the baths, a cold bath was what he needed. Why had he agreed on her plan? There had been something strange within her eyes, something he had not seen there before and he wondered what it had been. It was almost as if she had some hidden intentions? He shook his head to clear his mind before he entered the baths.

Shanrae did not dare to talk with Thilian that evening, she feared that she would reveal how she had spied on the two of them and she knew that such actions always caused Thilian to go ballistic with anger. She was a bit like some overgrown teenager and Shanrae grinned and wondered if Thilian knew how cute she was when she was angry. But she had overheard the plan and she had a small sense of worry. Thilian should not really need a chaperon, she was a grown woman and could do whatever she pleased but Shanrae was if not unable to trust her not sure if her friend was aware of what she'd might be getting herself into. Shanrae trusted Thranduil but there is a limit to everybody's patience and if Thilian went too far she probably didn't know how hot blooded elves were and how hard it was for them to rein in their emotions and needs once they were awakened. Shanrae wondered if she should give Thilian a few words of advice but decided not to. Fate sometimes weaves an intricate pattern and it is not for those entangled within it to see the whole picture. She just hoped that Thilian didn't do anything stupid or rash that could leave her or the both of them hurt or in trouble.

The next morning was very beautiful with a clear blue sky and Thilian had a feeling of determination within. She wanted the truth, and she did not want to wait for it. If he regarded her as just a friend then be it, she would long and suffer in silence. If he on the other hand was interested in her also as a possible lover it was nice but it also made her a bit nervous. She would be dancing on a razors edge between revealing too much of her feelings and not enough and how was she going to make him express his true intentions? She would have to deal with it when the moment came and so she tried to look at it just as another entertaining and useful lesson.

He stood ready by the stable when she came walking, unbeknown to her he had been swimming for a whole hour in rather frigid water and his hair was still wet and his skin a strange nuance of blue. She looked at him with a puzzled expression and he just sent her a somewhat sheepish grin. Dheg had prepared a huge gelding for them, the animal was strong enough to carry two people and so steady and calm you could land a dragon right in front of him and he would not even wince. Thranduil could see that the saddle was a rather huge one with enough room and he breathed a sigh of relief. Dheg patted the horse on the neck. "He can handle just about anything, but he is no racer. Just remember that and old Blaze here will take good care of you."

Thranduil gave Dheg a polite smile before he turned to Thilian. She had a small bag tied over her shoulders and she was wearing a pair of loose pants, a long tunic and a robe dyed deep green. She had braided her hair into a long braid and she looked just stunning. She could have been wearing nothing but old burlap sacks and ash and still looked like a queen, he bowed and she grasped his hand with a very sweet smile. "Ready for a day in the woods?"

He nodded and lifted her into the saddle, he jumped up behind her and grabbed the reins. This horse was somewhat sluggish compared with the ones he was used to but perfect for a quiet ride. Thilian appeared to be remarkably relaxed and he was enjoying her joyous descriptions of what she was seeing and how she felt. Before they even reached the city gates she had told him how the smells of the city made her feel sick and she had joked about the street vendors and their never ending shouts. She claimed that they sounded like a murder of crows and he had laughed and agreed.

The forest felt like a sanctuary, a place of sacred rest and calm and he was so happy he once more was surrounded by its life and vitality. He started to tell her the elvish names of plants and animals and she repeated them eagerly. He corrected her every now and then but she was rather good with languages and learned with an incredible speed. He let her decide where they were going and she entertained him with stories of things she had learned about the history of these realms. It was fascinating and he gave it his full attention, Thilian was glad he was in such a good mood, he had put his royal self on the shelf and was making jokes and just enjoying himself. She had to make him open up to her and tell her whether or not he had meant those words. She turned a bit, looked at him. "Could we please take a break, my rear is getting a bit…tender!"

He laughed and pulled at the reins, they had stopped by a small pond and it was a very inviting small meadow surrounding it. Blaze just dropped his head and started to chomp away at the tempting grass and Thranduil jumped off the horse and raised his hands to lift her off the animal. Thilian was leaning forward and she was getting ready to slide down into his arms but her robe snagged on the saddlehorn and she made an unplanned movement forward to release herself. The robe loosened but she had too much momentum forward and instead of sliding gracefully down she almost flew forward and caught him completely off guard.

Thranduil suddenly had her entire weight coming down on him from a rather steep angle and he took one step backwards to regain his balance. Unfortunately for him he placed his foot right on that one loose rock that slid underneath his weight and before he knew it he fell onto his back with Thilian on top of him. His first reaction was one of slight embarrassment, he had not been that clumsy in a very long time. Then he noticed how she had landed right on top of him and tried to determine whether or not he had hurt himself. There was no pain so he turned his attention to her. She had a rather weird expression on her face and he did not really know whether or not she was in shock because of the physical contact or the fact that she had managed to knock him over. Then he did notice her in a whole different way, she lay on top of him, her firm warm body pressed against his and since she was where she was he got a rather interesting view of her chest. The tunic was rather loose and low cut and he jerked his head back and stared straight up at the skies. Her scent was invading his nose, her hair was tickling him and he could feel her breathe. Thilian looked down upon his face, it had an almost pained expression and she reached out and got some loose locks of her hair out of the way. The touch made him shiver, he could feel heat gather up within him and it was heading for his crotch area, this was going downhill at express speed. "Did I hurt you? You did not reopen any fractures?"

Her voice was so sweet, so innocent and he had no idea of how she was grinning to herself, oh she knew how he was feeling. "No, nothings broken, get off!"

She cocked her head and reached forward, placed her face close to him so they lay there cheek to cheek. "Why? Am I too heavy?"

He moaned, his blood was boiling and not lifting his arms grasping her hips and pressing her against him was a monumental effort. She was obvious oblivious to what she did to him and he did not want to startle her, he was supposed to take care of her, not take advantage of her. "No, you are not heavy, it's just that…"

His voice was so hoarse she barely could understand him and she lifted herself a bit. By doing that she did slide a bit further down and she suddenly felt something pressing against her hip, something rather hard and she could not pretend like she didn't notice it. He gasped and his eyes were shut, she could feel him shiver. There was no doubt, he wanted her but was it just because she turned him on or would he want her to stay with him for more than just a few quick rolls between the sheets? Any man could become aroused in such a situation, she was not so naïve that she thought otherwise. He whispered. "Please, get off me, or else…"

She caught his glance, stared straight into his eyes and there was a glimpse of mirth within her eyes. "Or else what? I know you you know, you won't rape me or something like that. Admit that you want me, I can feel it, it is rather…protruding!"

He was horrified and also in a strange way relieved, the cat was out of the bag, now what? "I want you Thilian, more than you can ever imagine."

She sighed and rested against him once more, she laid her ear upon his chest and heard his heartbeat, it was fast and heavy and she smiled to herself. She stared into his face once more. "Know what? My mother once told me that nobody ever would want me, because I was a freak, a monster. You have no idea how precious it is to me to know that I am wanted, by someone who knows the truth about me and still doesn't care."

He was suffering, he wanted to grind himself against her, flip them over and just let go of all control but he could not. "I don't give a damn what you are Thilian, all I know is that I want you, that I love you. But please get off me before I do something we'll both regret"

Thilian had a strange fire flickering within her golden glance, he could smell her body and the scent was changing, she was getting just as aroused as him and the very thought almost frightened him. One of them had to remain cool and under control, he was sure as hell no longer able to think straight. If she was as affected as him anything could happen and by the Valar how he wanted just that. But he should not touch her, it would not be right. She was an innocent young woman and had no experience with desire or lust, if she was to give herself to him she should do so knowingly, not with a mind caught by her primal instincts.

Thilian leaned forward once more and suddenly he felt her lips against his own, they were so soft and warm and she tasted of spices and berries, he wanted more of it, he wanted all of her. He had his arms wrapped around her before he knew it, kissing her back with desperation. Thilian was enjoying it but her own reactions scared her a little, she was burning again, her body craved something yet unknown to her but she did not seem to be able to control it at all. She thought that she could but no! She was pressing herself against him and before she knew it she was rocking her hips back and forth against his very obvious erection. There were several layers of cloth between them but they could might as well have been naked, it felt like nothing he had ever experienced before.

It was madness, pure and exhilarating and he could not help it, he was unable to push her away from him. It just felt too good, her kisses did lack expertise but by the Valar did she have zeal, enough for several people her size. Thilian was playing with his hair while she kissed him and then she found his ear and played with the pointy tip of it while she let her tongue slide along his lips. The reaction was one she had not been prepared for, she could feel him tense up underneath her, and then he shivered violently against her and made a weird noise. Thilian stared at his face, contorting with pleasure and she felt a sudden need to giggle like crazy but she did not. Instead she stared into his eyes in utter disbelief once he opened them again. His glance was dull and distant and he blushed, he actually blushed! She lifted herself up and bit her lower lip, unable to determine whether or not she should laugh. "Ah, did you just…?"

She held her hand in front of her mouth to hide her grin. "I mean, was that…?"

He closed his eyes in utter shame, gods, was there no end to his humiliation today? First he tripped over a small rock and now this. But the feeling of her hand on his extremely sensitive ear combined with the kiss and her hips grinding against his had been just too much. It had exploded within him before he had time to brace himself, it had felt so damn good he had wanted to scream like some maniac but he did not, he did not want to frighten her. And now he lay there and knew he would have to wash his pants, he had to laugh. He was really hopeless, one could almost believe that he was a young and innocent ellon and not an adult. But it had been far too long since he had allowed a female to touch him, no wonder his body was so out of control.

He smiled at her, a somewhat embarrassed smile and he stroked her hair gently. "You are going to be the death of me my dear, if you continue like this I am gonna be completely exhausted before we even manage to get undressed."

She giggled and bit her lower lip, to watch him had made her feel rather weird, she almost wanted him to roll them over and just go for it. "I am that attractive?"

He let his hand caress her chin. "A natural born temptress I think would be the right definition of it. Gods, I am so embarrassed. But at least your virtue is safe for the time being, it was in real danger there for a while."

She smiled at him once more. "You know, it is in fact quite a compliment to me, that I make you so desperate you spill yourself like that."

He had to laugh. "Yeah, and please by the Valar, don't tell anyone. They would tease me to death if they knew"

She nodded. "I will keep my lips sealed, I swear. Nobody will know!"

He sighed with relief and relaxed, he still had that good floating feeling within his body, he felt heavy and relaxed and didn't want to let go of her just yet. His most desperate need had been sated and so he could enjoy laying there without any risk. She was so soft and warm and he started feeling a strange tingling he had not encountered before. What was this, he had never felt like that after having sex? Now it was an itch more than everything else and it was everywhere or so it seemed. He twitched when he suddenly felt a sudden sting of burning pain on his left leg, then another further up his right one. Thilian frowned and looked confused, she stared down and then she got on her feet with a small shriek. "Ants!"

Thranduil felt his face burn once more, they had landed on top of an underground anthill. And now those pesky little insects had made their way into their pants through their pants legs. He got on his feet with a shout too and tried to shake the bugs away but there was a lot of them, and they were moving up on the inside of his clothes. Thilian was squealing, she had a lot of ants in her clothes too and she ripped her robe off and ran towards the pond. That was a good idea, he thought about the same thing and started ripping his clothes off. Thilian had almost reached the pond, she stopped and got rid of the last pieces of fabric before she jumped into the water without looking back. He did the same, desperate to get rid of the ants crawling everywhere. She was covered with water to her neck and she was scrubbing off ants with zeal, he could see that these were the damn red type with a nasty bite and a very aggressive behavior. He cringed whenever he felt a new bite and tore off his shorts before he too jumped into the water. He went under and rubbed himself with his hands, the bites he had received did burn in the water and the pain made him hiss slightly. The water felt sticky and uncomfortable and he looked down. It was a mud pond and their movements had stirred the mud. Perfect!

He sighed and helped Thilian get rid of the ants that were crawling in her hair. Then she helped him the same way and finally they were freed from the biting menace. Thilian had a strange expression on her face, her eyebrows seemed to twitch and then she bent her head back and started to laugh. It was a very hearty laughter and so blessedly free from worries and sorrow. He felt the corners of his mouth beginning to move and before long he laughed too. Thilian got a devilish expression on her face and suddenly she threw a handful of greasy fat mud at him. It hit him right in his face and he just stared at her in shock for a few seconds before he returned the favor with a wicked grin. Suddenly they were flinging mud at each other while they laughed and squealed like kids. Thilian was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, they both looked like some kind of mud monsters. They were completely covered with the thick grey substance and only the whites in their eyes and their teeth stood out against it. "I bet this is good for the skin, back in the city I know ladies who pays a lot for a pound of good mud!"

Thranduil was gasping for air, he had not laughed like that for centuries and it made his stomach ache. "Wonderful, we're covered in wealth!"

Thilian giggled and she dug mud out of her eyes and face, she was just so wonderful, so free and relaxed. He grinned and threw yet another handful of mud at her, she let out a joyous little squeal and ducked, the mud just hit the top of the pond and splashed everywhere. Thilian shook her head in disbelief. "How the hell are we going to get rid of this?"

The elf nodded towards the forest. "I can hear a stream not far from here, I bet there are some ponds deep enough for us to bathe. "

Thilian sighed and tried to get more mud out of her hair, it was no point in even trying without running water. Thranduil grinned. "You may go first, I won't look I swear. And even if I did all I would see would be mud!"

She giggled and waded towards the edge of the pond, she had to struggle a bit because the mud was rather thick and Thranduil stared at their clothes and wondered how they were going to get all the ants out of them. Just shaking them would probably be enough if they were shook vigorously. He was making a plan on how they would get redressed when he heard Thilian make a strange sound, it sounded like a choked sob. He turned around to see her standing at the bank and she was staring at her legs. At first he did not understand why she looked as if she had frozen completely but then he noticed something within the mud. Elongated shapes which appeared to be pulsing?! He felt a wave of pure disgust rush through him, suddenly he was setting a new personal record in sprinting through mud and he could not believe how fate seemed to curse this day. First the fall, then his very embarrassing release and the ants and now leeches! This proved to be one hell of a day for sure.

Thilian tried to grab the leeches and pull them off but they were too slick and he knew that it was impossible to get rid of them that way. He looked down, he too had gotten his fair share of the disgusting creatures, in fact he had a lot more than her. Maybe they favored elven blood? Thilian stared at him and her eyes were filled with tears, she was so repelled by the sigh and feel of these invertebrates clinging on to her she was close to throwing up. She shivered uncontrollably and looked so utterly helpless. "We have to get a fire going, you can make them let go by burning them with a stick"

Thilian hissed, her eyes were black and the horror within her soul made her just act without thinking. ""So it is fire they want? Fine!"

She just shook herself and then flames were dancing around her everywhere, clinging to her like a second skin. Thranduil had to swallow a startled cry, the leeches exploded and blood and bits of leech flew everywhere. He looked down and yelped, the same flames were dancing around his body and he froze and started to shiver out of sheer terror. Fire, the one thing he really truly feared. His leeches exploded too and left blood seeping down his body from several small wounds. Thilian cried out and shook all over in a violent mixture of emotions. She had a feeling that something was crawling under her skin, everywhere. Then she noticed his face and his eyes and her own feelings were forgotten. He was utterly terrified, so scared he could not move and she remembered the terrible injury he had shown her and realized what she had done.

She whimpered and let the flames disappear is if they never had been there in the first place, she ran over and embraced him and he let go of his breath and appeared to be almost swooning. "Oh I am so sorry, I did not think! Are you alright?"

He managed to calm himself down. "Yes, yes I am, now! That's quite an ability"

His voice was trembling and she looked up into his eyes. She feared to see his emotions towards her change into fear but he just looked impressed. She sighed with relief and steadied him towards the stream, they were both covered with blood and mud and looked like some sort of swamp monsters, if someone had seen them they would have been running for their lives. The stream was not very wide but deep and slow flowing and the water was clear and clean. Thilian jumped in with a yell, the water was cold and although it felt amazing to be rid of the mud it made the ant stings and leech bites burn a bit. Thranduil followed right behind her and he did dive and swam underwater to get the mud out of his long hair. He was shaking himself and the sight of him like that with the sun making the droplets on his skin glitter was just breathtaking. Thilian managed to get rid of the mud and the water was so cold it made her shiver. She jumped out of the stream and ran towards the meadow again. She shook her clothes and stomped on them too just to be safe. Then she hung them on a branch and sat down to let the sun dry her. She did not care if he saw her naked anymore, she had nothing to hide.

Thranduil also shook his clothes and he was quite a sight to behold, she had never seen a more beautiful physique before. She allowed her eyes to slide across his wide shoulders and back, over his very nice muscular ass and narrow hips and she giggled a bit and had to look away when he turned around. She felt a little uncertain once more, even now when he wasn't aroused the sight of him was a bit unnerving. She blushed and looked down, she had no doubt there could be some discomfort the first time they did it, to say the least. He sat down and then he lay down in the grass, just relaxed and he closed his eyes and he had a small smile on his face. "I think I'll just lay here like this, I won't be a danger to your virtue if I can't see you."

She sighed but felt rather at ease. She knew how he felt and she had to decide what to do next but there was no need to make any decisions yet. She too closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax and enjoy the suns warmth and before long she was deep asleep. Thranduil heard her breathing change and he turned his head and looked at her with an affectionate look upon his face. He had said it out loud, there was no point in playing games any more. The only question was how fast she allowed them to move forward? He closed his eyes once more, he could be patient, she was the one who would set the pace and it was almost a sort of relief to be the one to follow and not the one to take the lead. He too soon dozed off and the old horse looked at the two with an indifferent gaze before it swatted a few flies with its tail and continued its attack on the lush green grass.

_**So, what do you think? Is it gonna be smooth sailings from now on? Naaah, I don't think so muahahaha! **_

_**I am thinking about writing down the story of the friends he lost, but it will have to wait until this one is done, or else I will be stuck with half a dozen half-finished projects I fear. My creativity is kind of running off with me at the moment. I never suffer from a writers block, I suffer from a writers over load. **_

_**Reviews are always welcome and thank you very much to every follower **_


	9. Chapter 9

So, what's to happen next? Hmm, this chapter will involve a rather strange old man, an enchanted necklace, a proposal(yes, he is gonna pop the question) and some bedroom fun. Rated M for a reason. And everything is gonna be fine right? Naah, there is still some dark shadows lurking ahead….

**Chapter Nine The heart of fire**

Love's fire is a fleeting hunger

An endless all-consuming flame

Stronger than a hearts desire

Driving weaker minds insane.

The two of them woke up when a gust of chill wind dropped the temperature and made the meadow a bit too cold for comforts. Thilian shook her clothes once more and turned them inside out just to be sure that there were no more ants hiding within them. Thranduil stretched and yawned and Thilian had problems keeping her eyes away from him. He got his clothes on and they helped each other with their hair, still they looked as if something had happened and Thilian felt a small knot of worry within her belly, oh there would be questions! And she did not really know what to tell the others either, they would probably assume that the two of them had gone the whole way and the idea made her blush. Shanrae would probably put her through a third degree interrogation and she was not looking forward to it. And Ghuad? She shivered at the very thought of her step fathers gentle but yet serious glance. She just hoped that he wouldn't protest against her plans and feelings.

Old Blaze looked a bit disappointed when the elf grabbed the reins and pulled him away from the green grass, the horse almost bit him but Thranduil sent the animal a glance that made it change its mind. Thilian opened the bag she had carried, it held some bread and cheese and a small bottle of thin wine. They ate in a hurry and Thilian knew that they couldn't wait too long before they returned, the others would worry. They got back on Blaze and the horse was reluctantly walking back towards the city, Thranduil had to laugh by the annoyed expression within its eyes.

They did not say much on the way back, they did not have too. They both knew how the other felt and it was such a sweet blessing to feel wanted and loved. Thilian was leaning against Thranduil now and she did not mind him touching her at all. He was safety, he was everything she could ever have wanted. She felt a strange sensation of awe, she had to have done something good in her life after all since the Gods rewarded her thus.

The sun was sinking towards the horizon when they rode through the gates and into the arena, a stable boy came to get the horse and Thilian could feel that her legs were a bit shaky and she felt dizzy, It had been a long day and she wasn't quite as strong as she pretended to be. Thranduil was hungry and wanted to get something to eat before he called it a day and so they went their separate ways but not before he had given her a rather chaste kiss on her forehead and promised he would meet her again the next day. Thilian felt like she had butterflies in her belly, she was in love and she could not deny it, not a bit. She just stood there and Enez came strolling by, she was eating an apple and her eyes immediately saw the weird condition of Thilians hair. The lithe young woman stared at Thilian with huge eyes. "Thilian, you have bed hair, seriously, you haven't…?"

Thilian shook her head violently, her cheeks were burning red. "No, absolutely not! I got wet, that's all, I mean…I bathed!"

She knew what it sounded like and Enez had a very sly expression on her face. "You bathed, and may I ask why?"

Thilian wanted to shake Enez and get that naughty expression off her face. "We got ants in our clothes and had to bathe, the first pond we jumped into had mud, and leeches."

Enez laughed, she looked like she didn't quite believe it. "So, you got invaded by ants, and I must confess I am no entomologist but ants usually don't crawl into the clothes of someone in motion. What were you doing? Counting clouds?"

Thilian had to look down and Enez grinned widely. "Aha, you were making out right?"

Thilian nodded, her cheeks so red she feared she looked like a beetroot. Enez grabbed her arm and pulled her with her into the corridor that ran underneath the stands around the entire arena. She was obviously very eager to hear more and Thilian was moaning, she really didn't want to share this with anyone just yet. Enez was almost jumping up and down in excitement. "Well go on girl, you were bathing together, is he well endowed?"

Thilian had not believed that it was possible to blush even deeper than she already was, but she obviously could. "Do I have to answer to that?"

She tried to make her own voice sound as cold as she could but it was shivering and Enez grinned from one ear to the other. "How wonderful! I have noticed he's got big hands so…"

Thilian was rolling her eyes. "Enez, you are being just…just rude! This is none of your business!"

The smaller woman giggled and grinned even more widely. There was a rather diabolical glimpse within her eyes. "Don't worry Thilian, you won't have to tell me more. I'll surely know when you've lost it, it usually affects one's ability to walk the morning after."

Enez giggled and waved and was gone and Thilian was leaning towards the wall with her eyes closed and she was swearing to herself. Tomorrow everybody would know what had happened, she was sure. Enez could not keep her mouth shut even if you gagged her. She walked to her room and got undressed, put on her nightclothes. She was tired but she felt so restless, so filled with some sort of energy and with a sigh she pulled the covers over herself and tried to sleep. She already knew there would be little sleep if any.

Thranduil was happy the dining room was mostly empty, his hair was a mess, he had some ant bites that still were itching like hell and he knew how silly his face looked. He tried to look as usual, calm, ethereal and haughty but he failed miserably. Everybody who was not blind could see the light in his eyes and the constant shadow of a smile upon his lips. He felt like he could shout it out to the whole world but he didn't want to embarrass himself or her. The very thought of her being in love with him made his heart sing. Jalisa did notice his expression, the vulnerable look and the awe within his gaze, she winked at him and dropped another mammoth portion on his plate. This time it was scrambled eggs with pieces of ham and leeks and he moaned and rolled his eyes in disbelief. He almost wished he'd been a hobbit, to them this would be just an appetizer.

When he finished eating he felt like one more tiny bit of food would make him explode, he walked to his room and sighed with relief when nobody stopped him to talk. He needed some time alone to sort out his feelings and calm down. He stripped and washed the ant bites and leech bites with some wine to prevent infection, it made him hiss in pain but he knew he had to do it. Afterwards he got his pants back on and combed through his hair, it was filled with tangles and he had a real hard time getting it back to its usual looks. When he had finished his scalp did hurt and he grinned to himself, it was a price he was willing to pay.

He placed himself on the bed and put his arms under his neck, stared at the ceiling. His heart fluttered within his chest and he could not stop thinking about her, her laughter and the light in her eyes. And the fact that she liked him, that she wasn't afraid of him or anything like that, that she was interested. He could have cried, it made him so relieved and so happy. He finally had hope, hope of a better future but would she want to follow him back home? If not it had all been for nothing and he swallowed and tried to remain calm. He had to save his son from the danger he had witnessed, his own safety did not matter at all if his beloved child was in peril. Where did she fit into the picture? She had her powers of course, and there were greater powers in motion than he could understand. The Gods themselves had brought him there, and they never did anything without a reason. He just had to trust them and hope that it all was for the greater good. He smiled and closed his eyes, he had no idea of when he would be allowed to return home, he just had to be ready when the time came and he sighed and remembered her face when she lay there on top of him in the woods.

She had looked so vulnerable and yet so strong, so determined. He grinned to himself, she had of course asked about the things he had said, he had been a fool not to tell her himself earlier but it did no longer matter. He was looking forward to the next day and he had gotten an idea. The city was huge with a lot of shops and he wanted to buy her something. He had no money but he hoped that he could borrow a little from Akisha or Raigh, they surely would agree on his decision if he told them the reason behind his question. He did fall asleep after a short while and this time he had a smile on his lips and his mind was at peace.

Thilian on the other hand had a far worse night, she had fallen asleep after several hours of tossing and turning and at first she just dreamed about ordinary silly things. She dreamt that the water in the baths had been replaced with vinegar and beer and that Naragh was furious beyond belief. Then she dreamt that she tried to go for a ride on old Blaze but the horse refused to go forwards, it just backed up no matter what she did. She felt furious and frustrated and then she and Thranduil was laying in the meadow again kissing like crazy while a huge herd of ants the size of sheep were dancing by holding walking sticks and hats singing a rather silly children's rhyme. She was giggling in her sleep, her mind was probably overly tired. Then it all changed, she was in a wood but it was not the woods she was used to. This was once grand, beautiful and lush but now dying, it felt like it was somehow infected. The grass in the clearing she stood upon looked like it had died too and she could feel danger all around her. In front of her she saw something move, it was Thranduil and a child, a small girl and she was playing with her father's long silvery blond hair while he tried to make her sit still long enough for him to get her shoe back on. "Be still little one, you cannot walk without shoes, you'll get splinters in your feet."

Thilian gasped, her eyes wide and her heart shivering within her chest with a love she'd never thought possible. This was her child, her daughter with Thranduil and she suddenly felt hollow, empty. She needed this, by the Gods how she needed it.

He suddenly got on his feet, stared into the forest ahead and she saw several huge spiders slowly crawling into the light. They looked terrible and she could see his fear, he would willingly sacrifice himself to save their child but would that be enough? Thilian felt something push forward within her, she ran past him, felt the fire within roaring with rage and hunger. She had never shape shifted before, she was too young and unexperienced yet. But she did anyhow, suddenly the ground was far beneath her and she opened her mouth and roared. The roar made the leaves fall from the trees, the spiders stopped, looked a bit shocked. "So you dare threaten my family? The ones I love?"

She spread her wings and felt how her throat was swelling with fire. "You dare threaten the offspring of a she dragon? Fools, fear my wrath cause you are gonna BURN!"

She let the fire out, watched it consume the spiders entirely and she did not move until they were nothing but ashes. Then the huge bronze dragon let out a last roar in triumph, she would guard them forever. Nothing would ever get past her, nothing! The woodlands would be protected by flames much hotter than those of any smithy. She had a narrow smile on her lips as the dream ended, she now knew what her task was, what she had to do. And she had one more yearning inside, a consuming hunger she could not ignore. She wanted his child growing in her, she wanted to be complete, and the sooner the better. She had been denying herself love and joy her entire life but not anymore, no, never again.

The next morning was rather dark, it was raining and everything was soaking wet. Thranduil found Akisha in one of the storage rooms, she was trying to determine whether or not the people participating in the show should be wearing some rather ridiculous costumes and she grinned at him and lifted an utterly ghastly design high in the air. "Tell me my friend, what do you think of this monstrosity? It is supposed to look like the things the wild tribes of the north wears in battle, I think the designer must have smoked his own socks!"

Thranduil was staring at the creation, it was made from cheap leather and metal and he had problems keeping his composure. The thing was utterly ridiculous, it would have been impossible to move within something like that and he grinned and felt like laughing. Akisha could see the glimpse of humor within his iceblue eyes and she knew that this elf was a changed ellon. He was no longer the same person he had been when he woke up in their infirmary, he had become someone new, someone better. "I would not want to be found dead wearing something like that, it looks utterly ridiculous!"

Akisha was shaking her head vigorously and she laughed. "I think the actors will feel the same way as you do, if the northerners really wears something like this in battle there is no wonder they are feared. Their opponents are probably laughing themselves to death!"

Thranduil could not help it, he got a mental image that was just sick, a bunch of orcs dressed in these horrible costumes. His facial muscles started to twitch and suddenly he stood there laughing so hard it hurt. He had tears in his eyes and Akisha winked at him. "Bet that felt good ha? I have a strong feeling it has been centuries since you had a good laugh. "

He dried the tears from his eyes, he was still sniggering. "Yes, I had forgotten how to, until I came to this place. Damn, I think that idea you just gave me will haunt me forever!"

Akisha smiled and dropped the costumes, she was shaking her head. "We are going to have a reenactment of a famous battle, it's gonna be all heroic and stuff but with costumes like these it is gonna be a bloody comedy! Sometimes I can't believe the people we hire to make costumes have any idea of what they are doing"

He nodded and she shrugged and looked at the boxes with costumes with a tired expression. Thranduil swallowed, he felt embarrassed to ask but felt like he had to. She turned around and saw the expression within his face, it was rather obvious that he wanted to ask her for something and she smiled. "Yes?"

He tried to look calm. "Ah, I wondered, could I borrow some money? I want to buy a gift for Thilian and I really don't have anything of value, I can't even trade"

Akisha sighed and just smiled, there was a kind expression within her usually rather cool and distant eyes. "But of course my friend, I must say that I am very happy for you both and if you wait here for a couple of minutes I'll go get some cash right away. "

He felt a strange sensation within his chest, he knew it was gratitude and a new and different kind of gratitude. He had rarely encountered anyone who would act like this without asking for something in return. He nodded and Akisha left the room, she was as always moving with the fleeting elegance of a great cat and he admitted to himself that he never had encountered a more dangerous woman than this one, at least when it came to physical fighting. If you took magic into the equation Galadriel was far more powerful but if he was to fight a battle Akisha would have been a very good ally in deed.

The warrior priestess returned after a few minutes and dropped a leather pouch into his hands, it was darn heavy and he opened it with huge eyes and stared at more than a handful of gold coins. He stared at the black haired woman in disbelief and she lifted one eyebrow in a very playful and yet strict mine. "You have been working like a madman for the last weeks, training our apprentices, helping out in the stables. Consider this your salary, and no, I do not want to hear one single word of protest. You've earned it, go buy her something gorgeous, she deserves it!"

He had a weird feeling in his throat, like it had gotten swollen, he did not really know what to say. "I…thank you!"

Akisha let her hand slide across his cheek just for a second. "When you came to this place you were a bit of a pain in the ass, I must tell you the truth. But you have changed into a man I am proud to call my friend. To know that you are happy and that Thilian is happy too for the first time in her life is enough for me and everybody else here."

He bowed to her, he was truly humbled by her willingness to give, it was a fortune. He left the room and almost ran to the dining room where he completed breakfast in record time. He had been shown the city by the apprentices he was training and knew where to go. The streets were packed with people in spite of the bad weather and he pulled the cowl of his cloak over his head to protect himself from the deluge of rain. It was as if all the rain of several months had decided to pour down within a few hours and everybody was drenched. The sewers were overflowing and the smell made him a bit unwell but he kept walking with the pouch well hidden within his tunic. There were a lot of pick pockets working the streets and some of them were very good at this illegal activity.

He knew where the jewelers had their shops, it was within the more wealthy part of the city and he just hoped that he would find something suitable for her. Nothing could ever compete with her beauty but he hoped he would find something that could highlight and complete it. The shops were rather small and the best ones usually had at least two guards on duty at all times. He had a feeling that these places sold stuff that was just silly. Expensive yes but without real meaning, without a soul. He kept strolling through the area, looked at all the shops and felt a bit frustrated, yes they sold some gorgeous stuff but he wanted something special, something that would tell her how he felt. He was staring into the window of a shop with a lot of very intricate and lovely necklaces when he notices a rather old man who was watching him. He felt no danger from the stranger, it was an old and fragile human and he looked a bit sad. Thranduil straightened himself up, he was a rather imposing sight like that and the old man tilted his head and stared at the tall elf with an almost melancholic expression within his hazy old eyes. "You are searching for that one special piece aren't you? The one thing which will be just perfect for the lady of your heart?"

Thranduil nodded slowly, he was feeling a bit nervous, he had no idea of what this man wanted or who he was.

The old man sighed and grinned. "I think I may be able to find what you are after, but it may be expensive"

Thranduil tried to look calm but there was something really odd about this man, he thought about magic, perhaps this was some sort of sorcerer?

The old man bowed and waved his hand as to ask the elf to follow him. "Do not fear my fair friend, I am not dangerous. I am just a man once known in this world as the best in my trade, now those days are long gone and my true name is lost to this world like love hearts written in the sand of a sea shore."

Thranduil felt curious, he followed the man into a rather narrow street, it was dark and filthy and he had his hand on his sword the whole time. The old human stopped in front of a door, it was more holes than material and the building was apparently ready to crumble at any moment. The old man sighed. "I was once rich, I made things so beautiful even kings coveted them. I was proud of my skills, until I got involved with the wrong people. I was naïve, I thought everybody would respect my work and the beauty I created but some people can only see one thing, Power!"

He lit a candle and Thranduil saw a single room with only a small bed, a bench and a fireplace which had not been used for years. This man was probably so poor he rarely could eat, what could he possibly have to offer?

The old man was kneeling down by the fireplace. He removed some of the rocks it was made from and pulled out a small box. His eyes were dark and he had an almost warning expression upon his face. "This was my masterpiece, something nobody else ever has been able to create. It was a queen who wanted me to make it, or so I believed. But I was deceived and the person who was going to use it was a rather wicked sorceress. I could not let her have it and so she ruined my life, my name, everything I ever had. But she never got it, it has never been tainted by evil hands and it never will. "

He slowly opened the box and Thranduil got a funny feeling, this was something which was meant to happen, the gods had been leading him to this old man. Inside of the box was a piece of black velvet and the old man removed it slowly and with reverence. Thranduil gasped, inside the box was a most amazing necklace. It was not flashy or showy, it was in fact rather simple but the beauty was so stunning it almost brought him to tears. It looked like the elegant branches of a young tree, entwined within each other and on those branches made from gold there were tiny emerald leaves and ruby flowers. In the middle of the necklace lay the most amazing sight he had seen for ages, it was a jewel, heart shaped and cut into that shape by a true master. It had a wonderful shine and it looked like flames frozen like ice.

The old man lifted it carefully from the box, his eyes were watering as if he was crying. "The heart of fire, a fire opal. Most rare and precious of gems, and I and only I know how to cut it like this here in this world. The art will disappear with me when I go to my grave."

Thranduil stared at the wonderful piece of jewelry and he felt like it was somehow enchanted. It held some sort of power and he looked at the old man with a sense of suspicion. The man chuckled and let a finger glide across the smooth surface of the gem. "Oh you are indeed a careful one, my old friend with the grey hat and the beard and the staff told me you would be! But do not worry, its power is for the good, only for the good. It was made for her, I know it now."

Thranduil swore to himself in dwarfish since there were no real swear words in elvish, Mithrandir! It seemed like the whole of middle earth was somehow involved in this.

He sighed. "So old man, what does it do?"

The man sniggered. "It protects the one wearing it from all evil, and gives the power to see through all lies. And first and foremost it protects love, it will never allow loving hearts to fade or drift apart. That is the power of my masterpiece."

Thranduil swallowed hard, he looked down. "It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, but I do not think I can afford it."

The old man gave him a very kind and warm smile. "You have already paid for it my friend, you have given her your heart. I will rest in peace now, knowing it is with the one it was meant for in the first place. Now, take it!"

He hesitated for a second, then he reached out and the old man placed it within his hand, it felt weird, almost familiar and he suddenly felt safe, how and why he did not know. The old man sighed and closed the elf's hand around the small box. "Go now, give it to her."

Thranduil did not know what to say and the old man tilted his head once more. "My friend who visited me told me to tell you this; Through fire and flames, through the dread of the mind you must go to save her, beware when a black wolf howls!"

Thranduil felt a chill run down his spine, oh gods, no more trouble please!

The man had a sad expression within his eyes. "It is inevitable, but fear not. I can see that your love is strong, strong enough for the both of you. What is written in the book of destiny cannot be erased, by the mortal or immortal alike."

Thranduil squeezed the box within his hands, he had problems breathing. The old man nodded as if he was listening to something only he could hear. "I dreamt of a woman, one of your people. She was fair and beautiful and yet terrifying, her powers beyond description. She told me that if you do what is needed without hesitation what you saw will come true, it will all be yours."

Thranduil closed his eyes. Ah yes, Galadriel, he should have guessed it. He just sent the old man a somewhat wry smile. "I thank you for your information, and by what name should I remember you?"

The old man sighed and sat down, his face was weary and his eyes strangely empty and deprived of life. "My name does not matter, through many worlds I have walked and I have owned many a name, lived many a life. Some of honor, some of shame, others immortalized within the minds of the mortal, I guess I can face the gods knowing I have done good deeds and bad alike, as it should be. Remember me only as a feather blown by the wind, as ashes within a cold fireplace. I have watched kings come to power and that power being torn from them again, I have built empires and burned them down, rested under the very earth and been reborn from her womb time and time again but my long road has finally come to an end, it is as it should be."

The man sighed and laid down upon the bed, he grinned at something and Thranduil had a weird sensation that they weren't alone at that moment. He clutched the box to his chest and the old man whispered something he did not understand, then he sighed and went silent and Thranduil winced when he suddenly heard the far cry from some small bird of prey, a kestrel of merlin perhaps. He looked at the old man and he was dead, the elf took some steps backwards and then the body turned to smoke which dissipated and disappeared without a trace. The elf stood there for several minutes before he could gather his thoughts and calm himself down. He finally managed to leave the room, he could not really believe what he had seen but it had been real and not a dream.

He almost jogged back to the circus, the rain was pouring down but he did not notice. There was some kind of danger ahead of them, one he would have to ward off to save her, if he only knew what kind of danger it was. He could only pray that he would manage to do whatever it was the gods demanded of him, before it was too late.

Thilian had awakened with a bit of a headache and she rubbed her temples and got out of her bed on shaky legs. She could hear the rain outside and groaned, she hated rain. Her head felt heavy and she put her clothes on rather reluctantly. She just hoped this day would prove to be better than she feared, such rainy days usually proved to be rather boring. She was contemplating getting something to eat when there was a knock at the door and she sighed and went to open it. It was Shanrae and she was dripping wet, it was obvious that she had been running across the arena. Thilian drew a deep breath, she prepared herself for a barrage of questions but there were none, at least not right away. Shanrae was complaining about the weather, about the water which was everywhere and the darkness the low clouds created.

Thilian was starting to feel a bit annoyed, she was getting hungry and Shanrae smiled and touched her shoulder gently. "I am keeping you occupied when I shouldn't, Jalisa has made some amazing sandwiches this morning, if you hurry there could be some left."

Thilian was a bit confused, she had anticipated a lot of impatient questions about the last day but it appeared that Shanrae was too smart to choose that tactic. She just nodded and puller her cloak on, Shanrae followed her out the door and Thilian closed it with a strange feeling. She had wanted to be done with them, the questions she knew would come and then there were none? It was confusing. She walked to the dining room with a feeling she could not quite grasp. It was as if something had changed, something important and she did not know what it was. The room was half full as it usually was and she sat down and could smell the kitchen very well, there were some rather delicious scents coming through the door and she knew that Jalisa would bathe in a pool filled with snakes before she ever made a meal which was less than perfect.

The cook brought her some sandwiches and they were amazing, Jalisa told her she had gotten the recipe a couple of days earlier and needless to say, they had become a great success. She had finished eating when Frostbird and Elywen came over and sat down, Frostbird looked tired and Elywen too looked as if she hadn't slept that well. Elywen got a glass of wine and tossed it back like it was water, Thilian was looking at her with a rather puzzled expression. This was absolutely not normal for the flame haired woman and Thilian tensed up a bit. She was not used to people acting out of the ordinary and her cautious side got the better of her. She went into a sort of defense mode right away.

Frostbird smiled at her but the smile was faint and a bit distant, like the short elf was thinking about something. Thilian just sat there with her arms across her chest and the two elves got some food and ate in silence, it made Thilian feel a bit uncomfortable and her head hurt still. Frostbird sighed. "You have a headache? Let me help you"

The elf just touched her head ever so lightly and the pain was gone as if it never had been there. Thilian looked at her in amazement. "Oh, thanks!"

Frostbird shrugged. "It was so little, glad to be of service. "

Elywen looked at her wine glass with a sad expression within her golden eyes. Thilian wondered what it was that could remove the usual spark within her glance. Elywen grimaced and put her glass down, leaned forward across the table with a yawn and shook her head as if to clear her mind. "I am sorry, I haven't slept tonight, something has been bothering me. "

Frostbird tried to smile but it became more of a snarl than a grin. "Me too, it is like I feel some sort of disturbance, there is evil somewhere, and it is close. "

Thilian was going to say something less than intelligent when the door flew open and Akisha rushed in followed by Raigh, Hawk and Rheynek, they all looked angry and a bit nervous. Akisha stopped and stared at the two elves. "Ladies. We need to talk, there has been some rather disturbing events happening."

Elywen and Frostbird got on their feet and nodded to Thilian who remained there with a sensation of deep confusion and a bit of fear. It had to be very serious to cause such strong reactions among the priestesses and masters. She wondered what it could be.

Thranduil got back to the circus and noticed that Akisha and the others left on horseback and they appeared to be in quite a hurry too. He went in and found Thilian in the dining room, she appeared to be a bit worried and he sat down next to her. She blushed and leaned towards him, sought comfort and safety within his presence and he swallowed a sensation of pure awe. He still could not believe that she could trust him this much. Thilian sighed and he let his hand slide through her thick silky hair, she was leaning into the touch in a way that revealed just how deeply her emotions were flowing. She would never have allowed anyone else to do just that. Thranduil sighed and kissed the top of her head, he did not mind that the rest of the people there saw their love, she giggled and squirmed a bit in pure bliss. He could see that several of the people were leaving the room and Thilian bit her lower lip. "I was talking with Frostbird and Elywen, Akisha came and asked them to follow, something bad had happened."

He nodded. "I saw them leave the circus, I bet there is some things they just have to do, some mission perhaps. "

Thilian nodded. "Yes, they have to help people whenever it is needed, but I feel a bit nervous. Elywen had sensed some sort of evil, and so had Frostbird."

Thranduil kissed her cheek lovingly. "Do not worry my dearest, they can handle just about anything."

She did notice that his hair was a bit wet and cocked her head in a questioning movement. He grinned at her. "I was visiting the city, I have a gift for you. "

Thilians eyes suddenly sparkled and he felt something clasp around his heart, she'd probably never gotten anything really nice from anyone before. She was leaning towards him. "Oh, how exciting, what is it?"

He got on his feet. "I'll show you right away but not here, it is rather precious."

She looked at him and there was wonder within her gaze. "You do not need to give me expensive gifts, I hope you know this?"

He nodded. "I know, but this thing is special, it is perfect for you"

She smiled and took his hand. "Well then, let's go to my room."

He followed her and felt a bit insecure. How would she react to the necklace, and furthermore, how would she react to the question he was going to ask her? She needed to feel safe, to know that he was serious about their relationship, that he would stay true to her forever. And it felt right to do it, it was honorable and he wanted to prove to her how he trusted her and wanted her. Thilian opened the door and they entered the room, he felt how his words almost fled him, he knew he would stutter like a nervous kid but he had to do it. She turned around with a warm glimpse of anticipation within her lovely eyes and he pulled out the box and placed it in her hands. "This is for you Thilian, do not ask me how or why but it was made for you."

She frowned and opened the box, her hands were shivering and she had an odd expression on her face. It was as if she already knew that this was something very special. She removed the velvet and then she gasped, a loud gasp and her eyes were huge and showed shock and awe. She lifted the necklace from the box with reverence and he could see tears within her eyes. "Oh, this is…"

Her voice failed her. "This is just too beautiful!"

She gasped again and held her hand in front of her mouth. "Gods, I have never…I have never seen anything this gorgeous!"

He swallowed, tried to keep his voice calm. "But I have, and it is standing right in front of me now"

He gathered his courage, his heart shivered with the fear of rejection. He slowly knelt down on one knee and grasped her hand, held it gently while he stared into her golden brown eyes. "Thilian, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife? "

He could have said more, elaborated and spoken a lot of gibberish but he kept it simple and she made a strange noise deep in her throat, she just stared at him and then she suddenly flung herself forwards and embraced him tightly. "Yes, yes I will! I will be your wife, now and forever!"

He felt a mighty wave of relief rush through him, he wanted to cry with sheer happiness and she hugged him so hard he almost lost his breath. He lifted his face towards her only to see tears in those beautiful and yet strange eyes. "Why are you crying?"

He felt worried again and she sniffed and kissed his forehead. "Because I am happy you big fool, because I think my heart would burst if I got any happier than I am right now!"

He got on his feet, embraced her tightly and wanted to loose himself within that embrace, to drown into her eyes, let her scent and presence become everything that was and ever would be. Thilian giggled. "If you squeeze me any harder I will break my ribs!"

He gasped and let go, in the grip of his own emotions he did not remember how strong he was and how fragile she seemed. She smiled at him and reached up and kissed him, a very light and gentle kiss and yet it made his heart yearn and sing. "I have accepted, but you will have to speak with my step father too, not that he can protest against our union but it is the honorable thing to do."

He nodded but felt a sensation of dread rush through him. Indeed he would have to face a dragon, and he feared Ghuads reactions. He could just hope that Thilians step father would agree on their decision. Thilian placed the box with the necklace on her small table and turned towards him again, she had an expression of something very vulnerable and yet strong in her eyes, a sort of longing he could not yet recognize. She cupped his face between her long elegant hands and kissed him once more, a long and passionate kiss which made heat pool up within him. "I had a dream my dear, I saw you, and I saw a child, our child. I defended you both from spiders. I saw what is to come, I saw what I want and need more than anything else in this world, my own family."

He gasped, grasped her hands and held them to his chest, over his heart. "I have seen her too, our daughter"

Thilian nodded and she placed her arms around his neck, her kiss almost desperate and he felt how his body responded to her embrace, it was getting harder to breathe and he was shivering. Thilian had gotten her hands underneath his tunic and undershirt, was pulling the garments up and he moaned when he felt her hands against his skin, so warm and so eager. She kissed his throat, the area where his neck and shoulder met, pulled the garments completely off him and he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her so she stood on top of the bed. That way they were the same height and he kissed her back while he let his hands roam over her. She was so firm and strong and yet soft and her waist so small his fingers almost met around it, he lowered his head, tasted the skin of her neck, suckled her earlobe and she made some mewling sounds and tried to untie his belt. He grasped a hold of himself and took her hands, kissed them lovingly. "Not yet my sweet, although I would love to go all the way right now. I want our wows to be official before I make you mine"

She sighed and there was a glimpse of disappointment within her eyes, she was almost pouting. "But I want to, I want you Thranduil, to feel you within me, to feel you filling me with your seed."

Her words almost made him loose his control, he felt his heart pound like a thousand dwarves hammers and his pants had become really uncomfortable. He closed his eyes, used every ounce of self-control within him to prevent himself from throwing her down onto the bed and taking her. She saw the expression upon his face and whimpered, tried to push herself even closer to him. He drew a deep breath, braced himself. "I want that too Meleth nin, I want to be yours and only yours forever. But as I said, I want our wows to be made before I claim your maidenhood. I do not want to rush this in any way, it is far too precious for that."

Thilian smiled but he could see her battling with her emotions. "You are so chivalrous, so honorable. I just…"

She was squirming, her face contorted with feelings. "I just need something, I need it so bad my body is burning, and I don't know how to sate this need."

He took her hands in his own again, kissed them slowly. "I may help you, if you trust me completely. But I won't go all the way, I promise you this. I will only give you pleasure this time, my heart could not bear to know that I would hurt you."

Thilian shivered, she was beyond the fear of that moment but now it returned. She knew it would hurt the first time he entered her and she had no doubt it would be rather painful too. She had to ask the other women for advice, she now realized just how inexperienced and ignorant she really was. She nodded and he swallowed and prepared himself for something he knew would be rather challenging. He wanted to show her what true pleasure was but he would have to remain in control of himself the whole time, and it would be difficult. Slowly he raised one of her hands up once more, kissed it but he kissed the palm of it this time and he let the kiss linger until he let his tongue glide across the skin, drawing wet patterns. Thilian tensed up, her eyes got huge and she started to breathe in a very weird rhythm.

He kissed her fingertips, one by one and then he slowly sucked the tip of her ring finger. Thilian gasped and her eyes went wide, why did she feel something that was done to her hand somewhere entirely different? She had feared to be touched for so long, to her every touch was treacherous, a hidden promise of violence and betrayal so why did his touch feel so entirely different?. Was it because she knew that their souls were as one? That she could trust him with her very being? She could feel something deep within her contract and she knew it was her womb, she whimpered and he let go of her hand, turned his attention to her neck. He was sucking and licking at the pale soft skin, he even gave her a few very gentle small bites and the combined pleasure and slight pain made her shiver from head to toe. He untied the laces of her bodice and let the cloth glide down from her shoulder, he enjoyed the sigh of her like nothing he ever had seen before. Gently he started to kiss her shoulders while he let his hands caress her soft perky breasts, the nipples were erect and rosy red and she shook all over like a tree in a violent storm. It felt like madness, like some all-consuming fire within, it made her hunger for him, yearn for him to claim what was his. She wanted to lay down, pull him over her and finally know what it all was about but she knew that he was right, they would have to wait until they were properly married.

She grinned, she wanted to tempt him, tease him until he forgot all about his promises and did it, she did not care how indecent she would have to be but she realized that she needed to learn more before she gave him her virtue. And so she surrendered completely to him, allowed herself to relax and enjoy his caresses and gentle words. He was whispering things to her, she did not understand what he said but it did not matter, she just loved to hear his deep soft voice so close to her body, the vibrations made her shiver within. Slowly he started to explore her breasts with his mouth, she cried out when he pulled her left nipple into his mouth and sucked it and he knew she was a passionate one, that she had a heck of a lot of emotions stored up inside. It was such a thrill and privilege to watch it all become unbound and free. A thin coat of sweat was covering her skin now and she was panting, her legs shaking so bad she could no longer stand up straight. He quickly lifted her off her feet and placed her upon the bed, pulling her shoes and socks off and then the rest of the dress. Thilian could feel herself blush, she was far more shy now than she had been by the pond in the forest, the situation called for it. She felt so exposed, so utterly naked.

She could see the love in his eyes but also the inferno of desire within him and she admired him even more than before. Few would be able to restrain themselves the way he did. Thranduil could smell her need, it was making him yearn for her so bad he could hardly breathe, he needed this to end fast or else he would be in trouble. He continued to explore, kissed and touched every inch of perfect creamy skin and she was beyond words now. She could no longer think, speaking was completely out of the question. All she could do was feel and she did indeed feel a lot. Her heart was beating so fast and hard it sounded like a herd of galloping horses within her chest, her breath had become ragged gasps and she could not control her body at all. She was pushing herself up towards him, begging without words.

Slowly he started to caress her inner tights, knowing she needed to reach her climax soon, and he felt humbled and honored to be the one to show her such pleasure. Her reactions told him beyond any doubt that she never had achieved an orgasm and he was using all his skills now, carefully playing her like a talented musicians uses an instrument. Every sound she made, every twitching muscle, every movement showed him the way to go, how to push her further towards complete bliss. She had opened her legs for him, and she was so perfect, so utterly caught by her own needs and passion. She had let her head fall back onto the pillow, her eyes closed and her mouth open, grimaces flying across her face and he knew she was ready. Quickly he got himself in position and was glad he still had his pants on, or else this would have ended with him taking her no matter how deeply he wanted to keep his promise. He kissed her right below her navel and then he let his tongue explore her gently and yet with determination. Thilian almost screamed, she saw stars and sparks and the sensation of that touch, teasing and light and so extremely powerful was beyond description. He held her tight with a good grasp around her hips and prevented her from bucking up towards him, she was in shock of the feelings her own body now revealed to her, she had never imagined herself being able to feel so much, at once.

He grinned to himself, she was so close and he lifted his head a little, caught her eyes, they were black and wide open and she was panting hard. "Come for me my lovely one, let me hear you scream my name"

He let his tongue glide against that little bundle of nerves, gently but with force and her breath stopped for a few seconds before she tossed her head backwards, tried to lift her lower body off the bed while she screamed his name. He could feel her shudder, see how the muscles in her sex contracted and her voice faded into a wailing sob as the last spasms passed through her. He felt in awe, so grateful he had been allowed to do this to her. So humbled by the fact that she had trusted him so utterly, it was such a precious treasure this trust and one he never would betray.

Thilian was in complete shock, she knew what an orgasm was of course, but she had not anticipated anything like this, the world had indeed been shaking and she was feeling light headed and terribly heavy, like she was made from lead or something. She probably would be unable to move for a while, it had almost knocked her out for a few seconds. She saw how his eyes were shining and knew that he really truly adored her. It was so fantastic and so very hard to believe but it was true.

He crawled up and lay down beside her, she placed her head on his shoulder and relaxed, she felt protected and safe and a little giddy too. She felt bold, strong somehow. She knew she had him to back her up no matter what and she had let go of her fears. When she was with him she was in an entirely different world, one where her previous life didn't matter at all. Thranduil nuzzled her cheek, she could see that he was deeply moved by the moment and she felt grateful. He kissed her gently and she made some soft sounds which reminded him of a playful kitten. "I would do anything for you Meleth nin, anything. This I swear!"

She just giggled and pushed herself closer to him, since he had placed himself on his side she could not help but notice that he was far from relaxed, in fact he was hard as a rock still. "Oh, isn't that a bit…painful?"

He had to nod, he was still very aroused but he had forced himself to forget about his own feelings so he could concentrate entirely on her. She looked down and could see that he was shivering a bit, that he was sweating and still breathing rather fast. "May I help you?"

She had a small but nonetheless naughty smile on her face as she moved her hand in a very suggestive way and he blushed. "I…I don't think that's such a good idea my lovely one, I would not be able to restrain myself I fear"

Thilian grinned, she had that very attractive and also determined glimpse within her eyes. "Right, if I don't remember it all wrong you just promised you would do anything for me so very well then, show me!"

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

She did the same move once more, the tip of her tongue visible between her lips and the sight made him moan. "How you do it, I am sure you elves are no different from all others, that you touch yourselves every now and then. I want to see you do it, or else I am rather convinced that you will go through this day in a state of frustration and discomfort."

He cringed and felt very uncertain there and then. "Must I? "

She grinned and rolled over, stared at him with eyes that revealed a bit of a mischievous attitude but also a lot of concern for his well-being. "You promised remember? I have seen you naked before so don't be shy, and besides from that, I would like to know you better before we, well, do the deed"

He sighed, she was right of course, she should know a little more about what she could expect in the future. He was still embarrassed and felt how his cheeks and ears burned red but he bent down and pulled of his socks and then he unfastened his belt with his hands slightly shivering. He hesitated for a few seconds before he lifted his hips and slid his pants and shorts down and threw them off the bed. He was completely naked now and Thilian was staring at him with a wide eyed expression. "Oh by the goddess"

Her words were a bit breathless and she blushed deeply, he feared that she would feel scared of him, or feel disgusted even. Not all women did in fact appreciate the sight of a full erection, some felt threatened by it.

He did not know what to say, or do, he just lay there and watched how her eyes were sliding across his body, it was admiration within her glance and love and she did not look too intimidated, he was a bit relieved by that fact. She swallowed visibly and he could see a lot of curiosity within her eyes, she did not seem to be very reticent now that she trusted him. "You…you make me feel funny, again!"

Her voice was a bit hoarse and he gasped and fought his own desperate need to touch her, if he did he would be helpless, he would break his promise right there and then. And so he started to do what she had asked of him, touched himself while he stared at her and tried to at least keep some dignity. Not that it mattered much, but he did not want to startle her in any way. She was staring at him the whole time, the curiosity was getting even stronger and she was not afraid to ask him even the most intimate questions. He appreciated that but it did make him feel a bit shy, even now. He realized that he needed to finish as fast as he could, before this became even more weird than it already was, he quickened the pace and she stared at his face and became fascinated with his grimaces, the low moans he made and the way his body moved. It was so very thrilling to watch and also in a strange way beautiful, he allowed her to see him in his most vulnerable moments and she tried to learn as much as she could so she could assist him later. He felt how he was tensing up within, how the heat was building itself up to the point of no return. He gasped and closed his eyes, his hips had been moving up towards his hand but his rhythm failed, became sporadic and irregular and he caught her glance, stared at her face as he came. Her eyes widened once more, she stared down at his hand and saw everything that happened to him, heard his hoarse cry and somehow she felt a bit in awe of it all.

Thranduil was just gasping for air and he still shuddered from the aftershocks, Thilian could see the considerable amount of white sticky fluid upon his hand and stomach and wished it could have been spilled within her and not like this. But her time would come, she would just have to be patient a little longer. He was slowly returning to normal, felt extremely sleepy and she grinned and got out of the bed, got a cloth and some water and washed the seed of him before she got into the bed beside him and relaxed. He felt incredibly lucky and blessed and he silently thanked the gods for bringing him there, she was his life from now on. He fell asleep right after her and it was a deep dreamless and nourishing sleep.

Thilian woke up because she felt cold, she felt confused for a few seconds but then she remembered and felt how the warmth of his body made her want to crawl as close to him as she could. She yawned and looked at the small window at the end of the room, it was still light outside and she knew that she would be unable to sleep if she stayed in bed any longer. And she was hungry, her belly was howling like a pack of wolves and so she reluctantly shook him by the shoulder until he stirred and opened his ice blue eyes. His gaze became very soft and loving the moment he saw it was her and he reached out and touched her face in a most endearing gesture. Thilian blushed. "It is getting late and I am hungry, we'll have to get up before they start to wonder where we are."

He yawned and stretched himself and she shook her head in mild disbelief. By the goddess, how could anyone be so beautiful and yet so masculine and have such elegance? She was a very lucky woman indeed. They got their clothes back on, helped each other with their hair and finally they regarded their looks to be so normal that nobody would suspect anything. They went towards the dining room when they heard the sound of hooves and saw that the group that had left earlier in the day was returning. Thranduil felt a surge of excitement rush through him, he could see that they had seen battle and Thilian noticed that Hawk had a huge sack hanging from his saddle, blood was seeping from it and he had an awful expression within his pitch black eyes. Thranduil stared at the masters with a puzzled expression and Akisha threw her cloak back and Thilian had never seen the priestess look so grim. Death and darkness was dancing within her cold blue eyes and her fists were clenched so hard her knuckled were white.

"What has happened?"

Thilian could feel her voice tremble and Frostbird jumped off her horse while Khir held it steady. "Something utterly foul and terrible, a disgrace!"

The elf's nostrils were flaring and she reminded them of her totem animal, a white wolf. Thranduil swallowed, remembered what the old man had told him. "Do explain?"

Akisha almost growled. "Some girls disappeared from a convoy of travelers heading for this city yesterday. At first they thought that they had gotten lost but last night they found one of the girls dead, she had been raped and tortured. "

Hawk threw the bag on the ground, spat at it. "We found the other three girls, all dead like the first one. But we did catch three of the men responsible for the kidnapping, beasts and nothing more than just that. Their heads are in the bag, the king will want to see that justice has been done."

Thranduil stared at Akisha. "You fear that there are more people involved?"

The warrior priestess nodded sharply. "Yes, this is a well organized group, we have ordered the roads to be guarded by the kings cavalry and the gates will be guarded as well. There will be an investigation into this matter, we fear that these were slave traders and we do not want this city to return to the state it was in before. It was a rats nest of violence and death and nobody was safe."

Thilian was nervous, she was a bit pale and Thranduil embraced her gently. "Do not worry, they will end this my love, I am sure of it. You are safe."

She grinned and kissed his cheek but he could see the worries within her eyes and felt how a cold feeling clutched his heart. There was still danger ahead, could it have anything to do with these terrible men?


	10. Chapter 10

So, they are going to get married, and everything will be smooth sailings from now on right? Nope, there are still some obstacles. I wanted to toy a little with them and explore just how deep his love for her really is. He is willing to die for her, is he ready to die with her? Even to face flames once more? Hmm, we'll see.

Yes, the title of the chapter is inspired by the poem Tiger Tiger

Rated M because of rough language and graphic violence.

**Chapter Ten Fire fire burning bright**

Beware of what's hidden

Be ready be strong

Don't let the bond be forgotten

Face the fire face the flame

They followed the group to the dining room, Thilian noticed how pale Akisha looked and knew how this must have affected her. It probably awakened some memories that were far from good. Thranduil noticed how Hawk seemed to almost be in some sort of frenzy, he could not relax and he knew that the dark elf was caught by battle fever. He had felt that fury himself, several times and he had a strong suspicion that it had been Hawk who did the killings, he probably didn't mind beheading such awful people. He could see that several of the others there came to the dining room to hear the latest news and he could see Ghuad and Shanrae, he knew what he had to do now but he feared it.

Thilian sat down and listened to the loud noise of everybody talking at once, everybody wanted to know what had happened and she felt almost a bit relieved, at least nobody asked her what she had been up to for several hours. She tensed up when Shanrae came over and sat down, she looked a bit worried and Thilian could see a shadow of fear within her eyes. "I wonder what this will lead up to, Akisha has never looked so enraged before."

Thilian nodded. "I just hope the city is safe, there are a lot of unsuspecting people here."

Shanrae shrugged. "Anyone bold enough to try and kidnap someone within the city itself deserves what's coming. There are guards everywhere and I know that Akisha has paid a lot of people to keep their eyes open for any sign of trouble. "

Thilian smiled but her smile was a bit nervous. "Of course, I just feel a bit shocked, that's all."

Shanrae sighed. "We all do, believe me my dear. "

Thranduil saw the two women talking to each other and he gathered his courage and went over to where Ghuad was sitting, the shape shifter was alone at his table and the elf swallowed hard and sat down. He saw that his own hands were trembling and Ghuad stared at him with a very piercing gaze, it appeared that Ghuad already knew what the elf was going to say. He leaned forward, hands folded together and his face abiding, the strange eyes were staring straight into Thranduil soul. "So, what makes you think that you are worthy of my step daughters hand?"

The voice was calm, relaxed and smooth and Thranduil winced and tried to remain calm, he felt sweat running down his neck and he could not see how amused Ghuad was by the expression of sheer terror within the elf's blue eyes.

"I am not, I can never be worthy of her, because she is so much more than me. She is everything that is good in this world, everything that is worth living for. Compared with her I am nothing!"

Ghuad raised an eyebrow, he was actually a bit shocked by Thranduils confession, he had not expected the elf to be so straight forward, and he had absolutely not expected him to be so humble. He would have guessed that the elf would brag a little about his title and his home and everything but no.

"All I know is that I love her, that she is everything to me, that I would lay down my own life for her without hesitation. Without her I cannot continue existing, I would die. "

The words just came, flowed from him like blood from an open wound, he could not stop them. He gasped and grabbed on to the edge of the table, just to hold on to something solid. "If she wants to live in a shed in the forest, clad in rags I will join her, if she wants me to leave everything behind and become a mere traveler I will. Without her there is no tomorrow, no life. Without her everything will perish, turn to ash. "

Ghuad noticed the shivering within the elf's usually steady voice, saw the tears building up within his eyes. Ghuad felt a bit embarrassed, he did not want to torture the elf, he just needed to know that he was sincere, that his intentions were based upon real love and not just a crush. He reached out and grasped Thranduils hand, noticed how it shivered and Ghuad knew there and then that the elf indeed was honest. He loved Thilian with a love that was stronger than anything Ghuad ever had encountered. It made him feel a bit humble, a bit honored. It was such a rare thing to witness.

He hawked and squeezed the elf's hand gently, saw how those ice blue eyes got wider and how he shivered again. He looked so young at the moment, so vulnerable. It was crazy to think that this elf in fact was almost as old as himself and had seen several millennia. "Lad, let me tell you one thing. Thilian is a rare treasure, I will not allow her to marry just anybody. She may not have been sired by my loins but I regard her as my daughter, as my own child."

The elf was staring at him with a very nervous glimpse within those blue eyes, he looked as if he was ready to pass out any minute. Ghuad grinned "And I must say, that I could not have asked for a better son in law than you."

Thranduil let go of his breath, he was turning pale and red and then pale again and Ghuad grinned widely and patted him across his back. "Easy there lad, keep breathing!"

Thranduil felt so relieved by Ghuads blessing he thought he would faint, he could see that Thilian was staring towards him and he managed to smile at her. She rolled her eyes a little and appeared to be just as relieved as he was. Shanrae frowned and looked a bit confused, she realized that something was going on right underneath her nose and she had not been able to detect it at all. Ghuad got on his feet and clapped his hands, everybody turned towards him and Thranduil felt how he wished the floors to open up and swallow him whole. Oh no, Ghuad wasn't about to do what he thought he was, was he? His fears were realized, Ghuad grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up so everybody could see him and he did notice the smirk on Ghuad's face. "Everybody, listen up. I have great news, may I today announce the engagement between my dear step daughter Thilian and this prime specimen of an elf."

Some looked flabbergasted while others clapped and laughed but everybody was obviously happy and Shanrae stared at Thilian with eyes so wide she looked rather ridiculous. "Oh my goodness, he has proposed?!"

Thilian was blushing, Thranduil was blushing even more and Ghiad stood there laughing out loud, he was actually very happy. He knew that Thilian would be very safe and even more loved and he knew that this elf had managed to save her from becoming a bitter and angry creature. He raised his jug of beer in a cheerful manner. "Good people, we have a wedding to plan, and the sooner the better. I don't think these two would like to wait all that long to be declared husband and wife!"

There was chaos, people were crowding around them to congratulate and Thranduil was sitting there almost like in a trance while he was petted on the back by the guys and hugged by the women. Shanrae hugged him hard and she was almost crying. "Don't worry my friend, we'll arrange everything."

He felt a bit confused and Thilian hurried over and sat next to him, embraced him tightly. He felt better right away, safe even. He found new courage to smile and thank everybody and Akisha sat down and grinned. "We have never had a wedding here before, my oh my, this is gonna be a lot of work but by the Goddess, such joyous news are more than welcome."

He swallowed. "You do not need to make such an effort, not for us, We do not need that much, just a priest and whatever is needed for the rituals to be complete."

Akisha was leaning forwards toward him, she grinned. "Nothing is gonna be simple my friend, we all love Thilian and we have grown very fond of you too, you both deserve a dream wedding and that is exactly what you'll have! I don't take no for an answer!"

Thranduil moaned, this was getting out of hand at record speed but then again, he noticed the dreamy expression within Thilians eyes and knew she deserved it. And if she wanted a grand wedding then that was what she would have. Akisha was suddenly almost ablaze with eager energy, she was shouting orders to everybody and he could see that Jalisa was standing at the door to the kitchen and she appeared to be beside herself with joy. She would certainly make sure that the food was beyond excellent and if he knew her she welcomed the challenge with open arms.

The atmosphere turned into an almost party like state, everybody was cheering and happy and Thranduil could not really believe how truly appreciated he had become. Their well wishes and congratulations were heart felt and he was so happy he almost felt like sobbing. Thilian sat there and she was clinging to his arm, she was practically glowing with joy and Shanrae was wiping away tears. "Oh what a joy, this is going to be an amazing wedding. We'll have to get you a really nice dress, and gifts, lots of gifts!"

Thilian was blushing and giggling and he wanted to just grab her and be gone from the room, there were too many people and too much noise. Akisha lifted her hands and everybody got quiet. "One week from now, that's the best day to celebrate. Everybody, you know what to do, but do not forget about your everyday duties, I am warning you all"

There was laughter and then the crowd dispersed and the room became a bit more quiet. Thranduil was staring into her face, she grinned at him. "One week, I can wait one week"

He nodded and kissed her openly. "Me too, I know I am waiting for something amazing"

She just giggled and Enez came running and sat down, her eyes were wide with enthusiasm and she grabbed their hands and shook them vigorously. "Oh I am so excited, a wedding! I have never been at a wedding, ever. May I be your maid of honor, please?"

Thilian just sighed and nodded and Enez got back on her feet, she was almost tap dancing with pure eagerness. Thranduil had to grin, she and Rheynek were opposites to the extreme, he was the living incarnation of stoicism while she was a whirlwind of energy and emotions. Thilian laughed and leaned her head towards his shoulder. "Well then, I guess we'll better lean back and just enjoy the show, they are going to fix everything for us."

Thranduil nodded and felt a warm sensation within his chest, they did really care, he had never had friends like this before, friends who would go to such lengths to make him happy. He was so grateful. They remained sitting there for the rest of the evening and Thilian was starting to ask him more direct questions about his home. There was no doubt she wanted to come with him to Mirkwood and he was getting enthusiastic. He told her about the palace and the gardens, he told of the other elves living there and she listened and tried to remember as much as possible.

Jalisa brought them a cup of wine each, to celebrate as she said. Thilian was not used to wine at all and got a bit tipsy after just a couple of sips and Thranduil didn't like the stuff anymore. But he drank that one cup so Jalisa wouldn't get too disappointed. When they went to their separate rooms that night they both had a feeling of peace. They hugged and whispered small words of love and joy to each other and both fell asleep rather fast with a sensation of anticipation.

The next morning every person within the circus was busy doing something. Jalisa was ecstatic and so busy creating a menu for the great day she almost forgot about her other duties and that was unheard of. The women were gathering and planning everything from decorations to entertainment and Thilian was a bit overwhelmed by their zeal. Thranduil was luckily spared for most of the planning, he was just told to follow orders and do whatever she told him to do so he just grinned and agreed. He kept working with the apprentices and helped Dheg and he did notice that Akisha and the other masters were busy with more than planning the wedding. They were doing their job and he wondered what they did find but he never got the chance to ask.

Akisha was a bit stressed out, she was very busy with the wedding and she also spent a lot of time trying to find the rest of the people responsible for the deaths of those girls. She had a nasty feeling that they hadn't seen the last of this yet. The others were helping out but they did not seem to get anywhere, nobody had seen anything and there were no indications of who else besides the three executed men were involved. It had been very apparent that the three last girls had been killed just so they would not speak, that told her that these people were ruthless and determined. She did not like that at all.

The three men they had executed had denied to talk, she had almost been tempted into torturing them to get the truth but it just wasn't their way. Hawk had scared the living daylights out of them and yet they had not spoken a single word, that was not a good sign. She had encouraged the king to double the number of guards within the city and make them choose the streets they went through randomly so nobody could anticipate where they would be. Now they just had to wait and see whether or not it had an effect. She knew that the pick pockets were facing a hard time now and they were probably cursing the situation but she did not care. She wanted the guilty ones brought before the king, the sooner the better.

Thilian had never thought that there were so many things to fix before a wedding. She was just awestruck of the efficiency of the others and she had started to get some butterflies within her belly. Elywen had arranged it so that one of the high priestesses of the temple would perform the ceremony and Frostbird had been all over town ordering flowers from every florist she could find. Thilian felt almost dizzy from all the turmoil and activity. Enez Shanrae and Carmariel had decided that they would help her get the perfect gown and they brought samples of different fabrics and colors. Thilian was a bit nervous, she did want to look beautiful and she was so unused to wearing nice dresses, she feared she would become a rather shaky bride.

They decided on deep dark green satin and bronze colored lace and some golden colored fabric too, Enez felt just silly. She had never seen anything as expensive as that fabric and could not believe that she would be wearing something that nice.

She had barely time to talk with Thranduil during the preparations, they were so busy but when she did have the time she enjoyed each moment with him immensely. Frostbird had found a very good seamstress and three days before the wedding day the elf and the two others ordered her to follow them to check how the gown fitted. Thilian was very excited and Thranduil was not occupied with anything that morning so he thought he would tag along to look at some new boots. Rheynek and Hawk would be joining the group too, the dark elf was looking for a suitable wedding present and Rheynek needed something to wear. Enez had insisted and Thranduil had a strong suspicion that she was the boss of that relationship. Raigh had taken Thranduil's measures and told him he would match her, he feared the worst. He no longer felt like he needed to wear anything out of the ordinary. They met outside the gate and wandered into the city together, Thilian was feeling very excited and her eyes were shining while she almost danced along the roads. People did notice her, the joy which seemed to radiate from her like some visible force and many smiled and felt as though they had received something very precious.

Thranduil could not help but smiling when he watched her, she had become so relaxed, so full of trust and hope. She did no longer act in her previous hostile manner, she had become a radiant beacon of pure light and joy and everybody was amazed by her transformation. The seamstress was living not far from the harbor and she had a rather nice house at the end of a narrow alley. Thranduil wasn't allowed to see the dress just yet so he followed Rheynek to a store which sold men's clothing. The two caused a few raised heads and some commotion, both were beautiful and very different from everybody else there. The owner of the shop did look a bit nervous, he was staring in disbelief at the height of the two men and it was rather obvious that he had few items big enough for Rheynek. Not only was the hunter tall, he was also wide across the shoulders and muscular and he had long arms and a narrow waist. They managed to find a shirt which did fit and a pair of very nice pants. The shop owner promised that he could have a vest and a jacket ready the next day, and Rheynek was very polite so the man started to act a bit more relaxed. Thranduil just hoped that Thilian would be satisfied with her dress, he could almost hear her excited voice when she and the other women were chatting together.

Thilian was indeed very impressed by the dress, it was so lovely she felt like crying and it had a perfect fit. The seamstress swore she never had seen a more beautiful bride to be and Thilian knew that the necklace would fit the dress just perfectly. She was looking forward to showing this to Thranduil, she could almost see how stunned he would look. Enez was giggling and claimed that Thilian would look so gorgeous the other women would have to watch their men, Frostbird just grinned and Shanrae hugged her and told her she was very proud of her. Frostbird paid the seamstress a huge amount of money and Thilian felt a little ashamed. They should really not spend so much money on her, it made her a bit uncomfortable. They left the house and Shanrae wanted to buy some fruit so they went to the market to wait for the men.

Thilian liked the market, it was filled with people as always and the smells and colors were almost too much for her sensitive senses but she forgot about her discomfort and ran between the different small shacks to look at everything from exotic fruits to veils and jewelry. Shanrae joined them and the women had a great time, chatting and laughing. Thilian was so interested in a couple of nice scarfs she did not notice that the two other had moved on. She suddenly discovered that she was alone and a feeling of panic started churning in her chest. She ran from the shop, stared around her and thought she saw Frostbirds silver hair a few hundred feet down the street. She breathed a sigh of relief and started walking towards the other two but suddenly she felt something fall over her head and strong arms locked around her and lifted her off the ground. The shock would have stunned everybody else than her, but she still had a lot of her old personality left and she screamed.

There were a lot of screaming and shouting at the market, the noises were loud and would have drowned her scream if she had not let her instinct lead her. She did not scream as a human female, she screamed as a she dragon would. A terrible high pitched sound that made everybody stop whatever they were doing and just stare. Thilian heard someone swear rather coarsely and then something hit her on the head and the world turned black.

Frostbird and Shanrae heard the scream and they reacted right away, they ran towards the sound and managed to get a glimpse of three men carrying something within a huge sack. Shanrae screamed and Frostbird knew that there were too many people within the streets for them to simply pursue the attackers. They would hide within the crowd. Shanrae was trying to run when Thranduil and Rheynek came walking together with Hawk. They stopped when they saw the expression on Shanrae's face and Thranduil felt a cold chill running down his spine. "Someone took her, they just grabbed her!"

Rheynek swore and Hawk's black eyes were shooting black lightning, Thranduil had gotten so pale he looked like a ghost. "There are doors and alleys everywhere, and carts and sheds, she could be everywhere!"

Thranduil was barely able to speak, he was suddenly so scared he felt his legs shiver and his heart beat in a wild rhythm. "We…We have got to find her!"

Hawk had a terrible expression on his face and Rheynek did look a lot like a negative image of him. Thranduil had not really truly realized how dangerous these people were but now he saw the truth, they were experienced killers and no mortal stood a chance against them. Rheynek nodded at Frostbird. "Run to the nearest guards, tell them the gates are to be closed, nobody in, nobody out. Then go to circus and ask them to let Frerk out, we need his ability to track by scent"

Thranduil knew it was wise, she was there somewhere within the city and they would find her, even if they had to tear the whole city down brick by brick. Frostbird ran and some young boys came running, one of them held a small amulet in his hand, it was shaped like a black wolf and he bowed and looked a bit nervous. "My lords, lady. We saw what happened, they carried her into the area by the old pier."

Hawk threw the boys some coins. "Well done lads, spread out and keep your eyes open!"

The boys ran and Hawk sighed. "That part of the city is a maze, the only area that did not burn during the great city fire. There are alleys and doors everywhere, it would make even a mouse confused."

Thranduil was panting, he was so worried for her safety he was unable to think. Rheynek placed a very strong and very gentle hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry, we'll get her back unharmed, we won't rest until she is safe"

He could not think, he shivered and Shanrae embraced him tightly, she was terrified as well and the very idea of Thilian in the hands of someone who wanted to harm her in any way almost made him go insane. Suddenly there was some screaming and people went running, Frerk was galloping down the street with several of the others from circus behind him, the huge dragon cat licked Hawk and the dark elf grabbed the animal by his long fluffy ears and whispered something. Frerk growled and the eyes got narrow and told of anger. Someone had hurt one he liked? That would never be accepted, he would find her.

Hawk grinned. "He has got a nose even better than that of a bloodhound, if she is in the city he will find her"

Thranduil just hoped that the dark elf didn't put too much trust in the dragon cats abilities, there were so many scents there, the place literally reeked of everything from raw sewer to spices. Akisha and Raigh jumped of their horses and Ghuad had been running after them since no horse wanted to carry him. Rheynek stared at them. "She is probably in the old buildings above the pier, it's thousands of places to hide there so it is gonna be tricky."

Akisha was pale and Thranduil could see a wrath in her eyes which made him cringe, there would be no mercy for those who had taken her if they were caught. Frerk whined and started to run and they followed him, the sight of the area made Thranduil sigh. It was a slum, most of the buildings were stacked more or less on top of each other and there were narrow roads everywhere. It was indeed a maze.

Frerk used his nose for all it was worth, he was intelligent and knew his friends wanted him to find her. The scent was vague and weak but so different from all others he managed to follow it until they reached an area where the stench was so terrible it overwhelmed him. He whimpered and looked at Hawk with an apologetic expression within the yellow eyes. "It's alright Frerk, at least we have narrowed it down to five blocks. "

Akisha pulled her sword. "This place is just too quiet, it is almost abandoned."

Rheynek and Raigh nodded. "Yes, you are right. It is a trap!"

Thranduil looked at them with eyes wide with fear and desperation. "What?"

Akisha had an almost nasty grin on her lovely mouth, her eyes were shooting blue sparks or so it seemed. "There are a lot of people who would love to get rid of us, as long as the masters and priestesses rule this city criminals have no chance and they know this. They want to get rid of us!"

Raigh and Rheynek had pulled their swords too and they could hear the sound of running feet. Khir and Frostbird came running together with Elywen Janrem Rhylja and Carmariel. Akisha grinned. "The troops are gathered, You all know what to do!"

Carmariel grinned, she had two rather short narrow swords and she was wearing only a pair of loose pants and boots, her upper body was naked and covered with strange patterns made with fresh paint. "Kill them all and take no prisoners, I know the deal"

Akisha grinned. "Right, spread out, there are bound to be many people hiding here, Elywen will create a diversion. "

Thranduil felt a bit shocked, they would just attack? Without a plan or anything? Akisha caught his glance. "The longer we wait the longer they have to prepare for a counter attack and to hurt Thilian. I fear they will use her as a hostage."

Thranduil was shivering, Hawk grabbed him by the shoulder. "Calm down my friend, you have seen battle before. Do not fear to shed blood this day, it is all for the greater good. "

Something was being pushed into his hand and he looked down, it was one of Hawks swords and suddenly he felt a new feeling surge through him. Anger, rage, hatred. They dared to hurt the one he loved? They dared to take her away from him? They would face his wrath and his eyes had become cold and hard, he tightened the grip around the hilt and Hawk smiled, a terrifying smile filled with a sort of dark joy. "Yes my friend, that is the attitude, find the bastards and let them bleed."

Carmariel petted him on the shoulder, she was staring at the buildings and her eyes were glowing. "You and me, we team up now. I can see in complete darkness so you will need me, and I fight in a style they cannot anticipate."

Thranduil nodded and pullet his cloak off, he did not want anything to hinder his movements. His heart was thundering in his chest but he managed to stay calm. Ghuad had been standing there without a word the whole time, he was in obvious despair but now he turned around and left. Akisha nodded. "He'll keep an eye on the whole thing from above, if they try to flee he will turn them into cinders in an instant."

Everybody was armed, everybody knew where there place was and Elywen nodded, she lifted her arms and a huge fireball suddenly flew upwards and remained hanging in the air above the area. It bathed everything in a strange hard light and to look directly at it hurt. Janrem grinned and he ran towards the closest door, Thranduil remembered that the young man was an undead and wondered what he could do which the others could not. The answer was delivered rather quickly and with brutal efficiency. The moment he opened the door a shower of arrows shot through it and hit him square in the chest. It would have killed anyone else, he just pulled the arrows out with a grunt and shouted back to the others. "The place is booby trapped, but I'll try to flush em' out"

Carmariel and Thranduil ran into the shadows, the light created very deep dark ones which were a perfect cover. Carmariel nodded. "Our job is to find her and get her out, once we have accomplished that I guess Elywen will set the whole place on fire and drive the bastards out."

Carmariel was extremely elegant and extremely fast, her movements were almost insect like and he was reluctantly fascinated by her calm. She nodded towards a small hatch almost at ground level. "That will be my point of entrance, I will clear the area out and then let you inn through the door."

He swallowed. "What if there are several people in there?"

Carmariel grinned, a wide and wicked grin with a lot of teeth. "Even better, I'll get some practice."

Thranduil could hear screams and shouts from the front side of the house now, the others had attacked and he just prayed that none of his friends would be hurt. Carmariel was like a black cat, she was so silent and quick and before he knew it she had crept through the hatch as if she had no bones in her body. There was silence for a few second, then he heard a gargling sound and the sound of steel being pulled from flesh, it was sickening. A man screamed but the scream was cut short, there was some thuds and bangs and another dying gasp and then the door was opened. Carmariel stood there, covered with blood and her eyes were ablaze. He did not know if he really liked the expression within her gaze, it reminded him of sheer blood thirst. She waved at him. "Come on, just keep your eyes open"

Thilan had awakened with a head that really hurt a lot, she could not move and for a second she was utterly confused. Then she remembered and she froze, she was sitting on a chair and her legs and arms were tied to it. She could hear voices not far from her, they sounded a bit muffled and she had an old sack over her head so she could not see but she thought she was in some small room and the voices came from the other side of a thin wall. The place stank of something really disgusting and she realized that this had to be an old tannery, the city had had a few of those until the citizens started to get so fed up with the smell the tanners had to move their business out of the city itself.

What had happened, and why? Her heart was beating like drum, she was so scared and confused but she tried to remain calm. She had managed to warn Shanrae and Frostbird and she knew everybody was looking for her by now. Why had anybody bothered kidnapping her? She tried to remain completely still so nobody would notice that she was awake. Her mixed heritage was an advantage, she healed much faster than anyone of human or elven blood. She felt how panic was starting to spread throughout her body, this was that terrible moment again. She would hurt anyone once more, she started to shiver and could not control it.

She focused on the voices, felt like she had to so she would not go insane. What would they do to her? She feared she never would see Thranduil again, that they would kill her or worse. She would rather die than letting them have her, her body was only for him and him alone to touch. There were several people in the next room, they were whispering but her ears were hyper sensitive now. She concentrated and could hear that one man was doing the talking, the others were just giving short answers. She gasped, they had been planning this, they were going to kill everybody who tried to free her. They wanted to be able to run their criminal activities from this city and wanted the masters gone.

She felt a strange sensation form within her heart, a sort of rage. It was not like anything she ever had encountered, it was painful. Could she allow them to do this? Hurt her friends who wanted to save her? They had just grabbed her by chance, it could have been Shanrae or Frostbird as well as her and she felt a growling sound form within her throat. No, they should not get away with this, the city would not fall under the spell of these ruthless bastards! The peace and safety Akisha and the others had worked so hard to achieve was not to be ruined just because of her. She would have nothing of it.

The gods had a plan with everyone and she was suddenly glad it was she they had taken and not Shanrae. She was stronger than a human being by far but far more vulnerable than herself. The old Thilian was just a memory, burned to ashes by her new determination. Ghuad had taught her well, he had told her to be proud of who and what she was, finally she realized how true his words were. They would regret the day they were born. She was grinning while she waited for them to make the first move. They had grabbed a tiger by the tail and let go, yes they would pay for their stupidity.

Janrem was a real asset, he did not die and even though it hurt being injured the wounds just disappeared immediately. He was not going to let anything happen to Thilian and so he willingly served as bait. He found a lot of rather devilish traps and made sure that they were harmless to the ones who followed him. He encountered human resistance rather soon, three men came rushing towards him from an alcove and he grinned and spun around, his blades in motion. He had two swords, both enchanted and sentient and they both screamed into his mind, pleaded for him to shed blood, take lives. Both Bite and Fang were forged by a very dark wizard and no ordinary human being would have been able to force them into servitude. He could and they were sharper than a razors blade, cut through flesh and bone like a knife through hot butter All the three men dropped dead with horrible gashes and Janrem growled and shouted out to tell the others what he had done.

The group was attacking the buildings from different places and they soon discovered that this group was rather large and well disciplined. These were mercenaries, Akisha had no doubt. They had received training and were dangerous but they had underestimated the masters and priestesses. They killed with relative ease, but it had to be at least a hundred men within the area and they were hiding. Akisha just hoped that Carmariel and Thranduil would be able to find Thilian. Elywen was setting fire to parts of the buildings and Frostbird did freeze some men with her powers. The masters relied on steel and muscle and Akisha could see that Hawk had gone berserk. He was just as lethal with one blade as with two and she cringed as she saw the dark elf crush a man's skull into smithereens with just his hand.

This group had to be obliterated, nobody should be left there alive. They had to show the world that such evil was unwelcome within their city. Several of the mercenaries went for her, they saw a female and expected an easy fight but they were dead wrong. She was the ultimate master, head of the group. In her hands any object became a lethal weapon and she killed with a sort of distant and dispassionate elegance, it was as if she was a gardener cutting away weeds from a perfect lawn.

Thranduil and Carmariel had progressed farther into the complex of buildings, they had killed several men by now, Carmariel had ripped the throat of one guy with her bare hands and broken the neck of another one with a kick, Thranduil started to wonder what he could have accomplished with an army of people like her. They met Rhylja and Rheynek in a small hall, the two hunters had finished off at least ten men and Rhylja looked like the totem who's stripes she had tattooed all over her body, she was a she tiger and her teeth were bared as she shook the blood of her blades. The four advanced forward very slowly, Thranduil was so scared they were too late, he could hear his own heartbeat and he saw Thilians face in his mind. She had to be terrified and alone and he wanted to just rush forward to find her but knew that it was too dangerous. He could be killed, he was flesh and blood and he did not want to die before he knew she would be safe forever. He did not want to leave her, ever.

Thilian had been sitting there for a while, it could not have been that long but it felt like forever. She heard distant screams and the sounds of battle, they were coming for her. She feared for their safety and she heard a door being opened close by. "Get her, we'll use her as a shield if we have to. They won't let this little elven wench get hurt."

Thilian almost snorted, she did look like an elf since it was within an elven body her father had sired her. But she was nothing at all like the common elf and she prepared herself. The anger and fear within her heart made her chest burn, she would make them pay for this.

The sack was pulled of her head, the room was small and filthy and dark and three men stood there and stared at her. She stared back, defiant and her eyes were glowing. One of them back handed her across her cheek, the pain only added to her determination. "Too bad we don't have more time, I am sure that little whore would be quite an enjoyable one to break."

The man who appeared to be the leader was leaning forward, he was staring at her and his grin was both wicked and cruel. "When those other freaks are dead we are gonna have some fun, I do not think you will like it but then again maybe you will. Those guys are so pretty I bet most of them prefer the ass of a pretty boy instead of a good cunt."

She spat him right in the face and he slapped her again, it really hurt but she knew she could take it, she was getting ready to strike back. "Oh you are a feisty one ha? I like that, but I bet we'll break you easily, when all the guys here have fucked you a few times I bet that feistiness is gone."

A shorter man with an ugly scar across his forehead and dirty blond hair grinned and bent down, tried to lift her skirts. "They say elves lack hair down there, let's see if it is true."

Thilian hissed at him and he looked a bit shocked, backed off for a short second. The sound was inhuman and the men started to realize that this was no ordinary elf. Thilian grinned and let her powers go to work, the ropes were dry and old and even a tiny flame could burn through them. It was done in a second, she had her hands free and she grabbed the man who stood before her by his jaws and pulled his face close to her own. The shock made him open his mouth and she leaned towards him as if she was to kiss him. Instead she opened her own mouth, let her flames free. She did not need to shape shift to spew flames, it was a part of her no matter how she appeared. The man gasped and inhaled flames, she scorched his lungs and the body went rigid and jerked a few times before he dropped dead.

Thilian got on her feet, the two men had screamed and she heard several more running towards the sound. Nice, more to fry! She smiled, showed her sharp teeth and blazing eyes and she lifted her arms and let the flames dance around her once again. The men's clothing caught fire right away, they screamed and tried to brush the flames off but to no prevail. Dragons fire is not like ordinary flames, it cannot be extinguished with water end it melts things rather than just burning them. Their attempts to save themselves were futile and the flames appeared to have a will of their own, seeking the mouth and nose as if to crawl into the bodies, burning them from the inside. Thilian was shivering, rage and fear and desperation just exploded within her, she ran forward and saw that four more men had entered the bigger room on the outside of the one where she had been kept. They stopped in shock and stared at her and she growled and let the flames engulf them as well.

They screamed, horrible screams in pain and fear and fell onto the floor, writhing in agony. The one who looked the youngest was screaming for his mother before death came as an angel of mercy and claimed his soul and Thilians eyes got wide with shock as she realized what she just had done. She screamed and suddenly the entire room was ablaze. She should not exist, she should not be allowed to kill again. She was really a monster and if Thranduil stayed with her the evil of her soul would taint him, stain him forever. She had to die to save everybody from herself. She fell onto the floor, screaming in mental anguish. The memories of the past overwhelming her, devouring her, reawakening her old fears and doubts. The flames were roaring around her, flowing like sheets of thin paper. She was immune to her own fire, as all dragons are. One of the dead men had a dagger in his belt, it was scorched and burned but intact. She pulled it free from the sheath and stared at it. She had endangered everybody, if anyone had died this day it was her fault, she could not allow it to happen again. She lifted the dagger, placed the tip of the blade over her heart and gathered all her courage and strength. "Thranduil, my love, forgive me, I cannot live knowing what I have done!"

Carmariel had just finished off another couple of attackers, she was fighting with an elegance which was just breathtaking and even though he had managed to kill a few of the bandits too he felt like a mere amateur compared with her. They were running down a narrow corridor when they saw a shadow ahead of them, it was a black wolf and Thranduil remembered what the old man had told him. He felt cold sweat running down his back and he just stared and gasped. The wolf raised her head and howled, it sounded as if the sound came from afar and Carmariel gasped and bowed her head. "The goddess, you must follow her!"

Thranduil looked at Carmariel, she smiled. "Don't worry about me friend, I'll find the others. Go get her, save her. It is all up to you now!"

Thranduil swallowed, he had a wild expression within those ice blue eyes. Carmariel nodded. "Go, run, save her!"

He ran, the corridor turned abruptly and he could smell smoke. He stopped, could see flames raging between the boards of the wall and he knew she was in there. He felt how his legs were shivering, how fear turned his courage to dust. Then he heard her scream, a terrible sound filled with anguish and grief and something just snapped within him. To venture into those rooms was to die, but without her he could not live. He ran, he ran to his own death and knew it but he could not let her die alone and afraid, If they were to burn at least they were to burn together. He burst through the door, the room was filled with flames and smoke and he could see her but only with difficulty. She sat on the floor, bent forward, a dagger pressed towards her chest, her hair was floating around her with the flames and her eyes were black with despair and grief. He saw several scorched bodies on the floor and knew what fate had befallen them.

The heat was unbearable, he whimpered with pain as embers landed on his skin and burned him, there was no air there, nothing to breathe except flames. She lifted her head, saw him and screamed, a sound filled with absolute grief. "No, Melethron, leave me, go. You'll get burned! I cannot live with what I just did!"

The flames were no longer just dragonsfire, it was ordinary flames as well and her clothes were almost gone, she had burns everywhere and there were no more air to breathe, it would kill them both and there would be no escape this time.

He felt how his love for her filled his very being and suddenly he felt at ease, if this was their destiny then be it. He walked towards her, smoke rose from his clothes but he did not care, he was no longer afraid. The agony of the heat was unbearable but he endured, he knelt down next to her and removed the dagger. His clothes were burning and he embraced her tightly. Thilian lay her head backwards and released a strange howling noise. He whispered to her with what seemed to be his last breath. "If we have to go, we will go together. We cannot be separated now my love, we belong together, in life as well as in death."

Her eyes rolled back into her head, suddenly there was a calm around them, like a bubble where the fire could not reach them. She could not let him die, but he would if she did not save him. She saw now how deep the bond really was, they could not exist without each other. She forced the flames she had created to die down, they seemed to just shrink and disappear and she gasped with fatigue and pain. Even if the flames couldn't hurt her the lack of air could and she felt like choking, the ordinary flames were forced away from her at the moment but she was getting weaker by the minute and soon they would be to strong. Thranduil had passed out and still he hung on to her, embraced her and protected her with his own body.

Thilian was unable to move, too weak to do anything except breathing. She could not even scream for help, if any of the enemies returned she would be defenseless, she did not have the strength to bring forth her flames once more. She just sat there, stroked his head slowly, she felt a sensation of despair and surrender. She could not die, she could not protect him and she could not live without him. She would just have to accept what she was and in time perhaps she would be able to forgive herself. His hair had been singed and he smelled like fire and smoke, she wept for him. He had been willing to burn to death to save her, how could she ever reward such courage? She knew the answer, by being equally brave. She would prove her courage in childbirth, reward him thus by giving him healthy strong children. She remembered the child in her dream, how could she have been so foolish, risking everything out of despair and confused fear?

She sat there when Frostbird came running followed by Carmariel and Rheynek. They all were bloody and looked terrible and they stopped and stared at the incredible sight. The two sitting and laying on the floor, both almost naked with their clothes burned off them. Thilian gasped when she saw them, her throat was raw from the overheated air she had breathed in. "Please, help him"

Frostbird could see that both had burns, some rather bad. Thilians flames had ignited more regular flames as well and she was not immune to those, the room was still burning and smoke filled it slowly. The silver haired elf knew what to do, she applied thin layer of ice cold air around the burns to prevent them from getting worse. Carmariel and Frostbird lifted Thilian and Rheynek wrapped a robe around Thranduil and lifted him across his shoulder. The elf was breathing but he was injured and they ran as fast as they could back to the others. They had managed to drive the rest of the bandits into the back of the complex. Akisha did not want to risk any more lives so she gave the order to retreat, there were still about twenty men left and they were well armed and knew how to fight.

The warrior priestess watched with grim determination as her people emerged from the building. Ghuad was hovering up there somewhere and he would deliver the final blow. She gasped when the three came running carrying Thilian and Thranduil, both were unconscious and she screamed one last command. These arrogant excuses for a human being would never be allowed to hurt anyone again. If these two died she would never be able to forgive herself for not having protected them. Janrem had gotten a small cart from a local stable and they placed the two in it and Janrem whipped the horse into gallop. Frerk was running ahead, getting people out of the way. The dragon cat had killed a few men who had tried to escape and blood was running from its jaws and chest. It had enjoyed the fight and licked its lips with an expression of pride.

Akisha made sure that everybody was out of the buildings before she screamed to the dark shadow way up there. "Ghuad, now."

The black dragon was furious, he had seen that Thilian was hurt, he had sensed her sorrow and doubt and his rage was beyond description. He flipped over in the air, fell towards the buildings like a brick and the men left within the building never got the chance to know what had hit them. Ghuads weight was enormous, it was as if a meteorite had struck the block. The impact made the ground shake, rocks and pieces of building material flew everywhere and all that was left was a twenty foot deep crater and a very satisfied dragon. He got on his feet again, shook himself a few times and was back on his wings right away. It took more than a fall to injure him.

Back at the circus Naragh was ready to receive any wounded warriors and he gasped when he saw Thilian and Thranduil. He was immediately busy with their burns and did not let anyone in except Frostbird who used her healing powers on them both. It drained her of strength but it was needed and she was utterly exhausted whence she was finished. Thilian was breathing with a strange sound and Thranduil was even worse off, she felt so sorry for them. Naragh turned his back on her and Frostbird made a soft smile, let her fingers glide through their singed locks of hair. She whispered a few words in her own tongue and grinned, the grin was filled with mischief.

Naragh worked on the two the entire night, he was almost cross eyed with fatigue when he finally had done all he could. He had his helpers and apprentices place the two in the same bed, he did not want to separate the two, not any more. Both were covered with lotions and bandages and he was rather sure that they would be alright, there would not even be scars. He strongly suspected magic to be a part of the picture and if he had known about the necklace he would have known exactly what type of magic too.

Thilian woke up as the first of the two, she opened her sore eyes and felt confused, she had dreamt of flames and… She felt warmth next to her body, skin towards her own. She turned slowly, looked at him. He was sleeping and his arm was placed around her waist, he belonged there with her and she relaxed and felt a surge of relief flow through her soul. They had made it, they were both alive. She felt tears flowing from her eyes, she would never again let anything keep them apart, never.


	11. Chapter 11

Finally they are getting to the big day, and it will be marvelous. Yep, the name of the chapter is inspired by one of my favorite metal ballads, by helloween. I just thought it fitted, when elves swear to remain true to each other forever it really means forever!

So here there'll be a conversation with some confessions of the intimate kind, a lovely wedding and a wedding night so this is M, and yes, I guess it is a bit smutty! Enjoy!

And thanks to everybody who uses their precious time reading this. Hugs for ya all

**Chapter eleven Forever and one**

One soul and one mind

Entwined like young vines

Forever inseparable

Bound together for eternity

Naragh checked their wounds very carefully, he was gentle and took his time and Thilian was grateful they hadn't received really deep burns. The healer thought that they should stay in bed for one day just in case and she agreed. She still felt weak and a bit shocked by what she had done. She should have been past the state of mind in which she doubted her own decisions but she had not. It had almost cost her the lives of both Thranduil and herself, she would not let that happen again.

Everybody had been stunned by the things that had happened, but the relief was even greater when it got clear that nobody had gotten seriously hurt. Thilian knew that the activity out there was rather frantic, they had not postponed the wedding, they wanted to go through with it and Thranduil had agreed. He was feeling rather ok but the burns had been a bit painful until Naragh managed to numb them with some ointments. Thilian had been very quiet and she looked a bit sad and he had been sitting there for a while, just holding her whispering soothing words. Naragh had brought them some food and Thilian wasn't feeling all that hungry but Thranduil was feeding her and she did eat quite a bit after all. They had felt drowsy afterwards so they had gone to sleep again, both needed it and now that they slept so close to each other their sleep was deep and undisturbed.

When Thilian woke up she felt a bit weird, like her head was spinning ever so slightly and it felt heavy. She tried to sit up and gasped, reached behind her and felt something against her back, something soft. Her hair had been really damaged by the heat but now it was suddenly even longer than before, and just as shiny and soft as it had been. The same thing had happened to Thranduil and Thilians eyes narrowed, Frostbird! That elf was behind this or else she was a donkey. She did notice something weird though, she had gotten some silvery blond hairs where there had been none before and he had gotten some bronze colored ones. Thilian shook her head in disbelief and fought the impulse to scratch her burns, they were itching but Naragh told her they were healing so fast he could barely believe it.

Akisha had been visiting just to check in on them and Thilian was a little sad she had caused so much death and turmoil. Akisha on the other hand was glad they had managed to discover the dangerous group and removing it completely and they were glad nobody had gotten hurt except the bad guys. Thilian was beginning to realize that her wedding was just two days away, she was getting nervous but in a good way. She felt so utterly safe and loved when he was close to her and she enjoyed his company more than ever. They spent the day in bed telling stories and just relaxing, Thilian needed to accept the necessity of her deeds, she had burned those men in order to save herself and the others and the regret she had felt had been to expect, she had just overreacted because of her previous experiences and Thranduil was able to speak with her and help her clear her mind without causing any outburst of rage or denial.

That night he dreamed again, he was standing on one of the hills surrounding the palace, the sky was clear with a huge moon and the stars were out, shining like jewels across the velvety skies. He could see the forest in all directions but he saw a deep darkness creeping closer, a dark mist of some sort and it was closing in on the area around the palace. "There is hope now!"

It was his father's voice but he could not see him. "You will return soon, do not worry. You will know what you are to do, and then you all will be safe"

He moaned in his sleep, pressed his face towards Thilians thick hair, inhaled her scent. Yes he knew what he had to do, save Legolas from becoming the man he had been, bitter, angry and sad. A soul devoured by the past, haunted by regret and the memories of deeds that should have been undone. He knew exactly what to do.

The next morning Naragh let them leave the infirmary and Thilian got the shock of a lifetime when they entered the dining room. It had been washed, and that had to have been one hell of a job in itself because she had thought the walls were painted a deep dark color of brownish grey, and now they were light grey, almost white! Someone had decorated the whole room with flower garlands and she knew people had been working non-stop and still were. Jalisa had given one of the other cooks the responsibility of making the daily meals, she was so busy with preparing the wedding dinner. Raigh told Thranduil that he didn't have to work these last two days, he should relax and gain some strength. The heat and flames had almost scorched his lungs and even though he was healing fast they did not want him to take any chances.

There were people running around everywhere and they went to the stands and sat down on the top row, they could see almost the entire circus from that place and he realized how much of a change he had gone through since he came to this place. He would be a better leader when he returned, and a better father too. Thilian was leaning against him and he put his arm around her, he felt content and relaxed. He had done something he never would have imagined just months before, he was no longer afraid of fire and he knew the Gods had a plan with everything.

The day after was so busy Thilian and Thranduil didn't have time to meet, Thilian was being taken care of by the other women and Thranduil was kept busy too. He had to learn the wedding ritual so he knew what to say and when to say it. Raigh had gotten him new clothes he had to try on and they went shopping again. He had not been aware of the custom of giving the bride a gift the morning after the wedding and he felt a bit stressed out but did find something he thought she would like.

Thilian on the other hand was starting to feel nervous. She would not be allowed to see him again until the wedding and she missed him already. Enez and Shanrae was preparing her, they were washing her hair and making jokes and she was grateful they did not follow the custom of throwing a hen party. She had had enough humiliation for a lifetime. Enez was fixing her fingernails and grinned. "You can be very grateful you're not human. I know it is common in many places for a bride to have all of her body hair plucked out."

Thilian cringed, she was suddenly very happy she had inherited the elven lack of such hair. The very idea of having someone doing something like that to her was terrible. Enez grinned. "I think the groom too has to go through that procedure"

Shanrae laughed. "Oh my goodness, really? So that's why so many guys are afraid of marriage. Men aren't really that good with handling pain"

Thilian had to grin. Akisha entered the room with a handful of nice sating ribbons to braid into her hair and she sat down and helped Shanrae with her job. The half elf was covering Thilians feet with a very delicate pattern of henna paintings, they were supposed to protect the bride and prevent evil from being able to interfere with the marriage. It was superstition of course but the patterns were beautiful and Thilian had never felt so pampered before.

Enez cocked her head. "Nervous?"

Thilian nodded slowly. "A little, I am afraid I will do something stupid."

Akisha petted her hand. "Do not worry, you will be the most lovely bride ever and I am sure he will be more than satisfied with you, I bet he will be unable to take his eyes of you. "

Thilian blushed and Enez grinned once more. "You know, among royal families it is common that the bride and groom are being followed to bed and witnesses has to stay there the whole night so everybody can be ensured the marriage is consummated."

Thilian snorted, her eyes got wide. "You are kidding me?! Someone is watching them…do it?!"

Enez nodded. "Yeah, and the sheets are hung out in public so everybody can see whether or not the bride was a virgin"

Akisha sighed. "Silly customs, I am glad few follow them these days."

Thilian felt a shudder run down her back. She blushed and bit her lower lip, looked down. Akisha noticed her expression and hugged her. "Worried about something dear?"

Thilian gathered her courage, she had to ask. "Yes, ah, I am a little nervous. I mean, I haven't... We haven't…"

Her courage failed her and Akisha got a very soft expression within her eyes. "I remember when I and Raigh started to realize we were meant to be together, that we were more than friends. I asked Naragh the same question you are trying to ask now and the answer was that that experience is different for every woman."

Thilian looked very fragile, there was a small glimpse of fear within her eyes and Akisha felt a bit angry. Her mother had really messed that girl up, if she had had a daughter she would never have raised her the way Thilian had been raised. Enez sighed and grabbed her hand, squeezed it gently. "The first time I slept with Rheynek we were under siege and the next morning I was going to let myself get caught by some vampires in order to steal two gems from their master. I was so damn nervous and I wanted to give him that, in case I would not return alive, or worse, I returned as one of those damned bloodsuckers."

She had an ironic expression within her eyes. "Frostbird used her magic on me so I could not feel pain for several hours. Damn it was welcome, and it turned out to be a night well worth remembering but I must confess I was less than happy the morning after. I could barely walk!"

Akisha laughed out loud. "I remember that, gods, he was so afraid when you left for the woods, he looked as if he was ready to lay down and die."

Enez nodded. "It was the worst thing I've ever done, leaving him behind like that. But it had to be done and I survived!"

Thilian made a strange grimace. "I know it will hurt, I am just not sure how much!"

Shanrae hugged her. "Do not worry my sweetest, he will be gentle with you I am sure. If you relax it won't be that bad. Remember it will get better and try to enjoy the experience."

Thilian blushed even more. "I know I can enjoy him touching me, I already felt that, but I am afraid I might disappoint him somehow"

Enez looked at her with disbelief. "Disappoint him? Are you nuts girl?! How on earth can he ever be disappointed by someone like you.?"

Thilian tried to smile. "What if I can't go through with it?"

Her voice was shivering and weak and Akisha hugged her. "Thilian, listen to me. He can wait, if you don't feel ready tell him. This is all about you, not him. He will respect that if he truly loves you!"

Thilian tried to smile again and Enez grinned once more. "If you try to be in control it might be a little easier you know"

Thilian looked like a question mark, her eyes wide and Enez sighed. "Damn you really are innocent are you not, if you are on top you can decide how fast you want to proceed. "

Shanrae nodded. "And you'll decide more than that too, it is really a good advice"

Thilian nodded, she understood and hoped that she would be able to make use of it. Akisha sighed and there was a sort of melancholy within her glance. "I and Raigh did it for the first time the night of my best friend's wedding. She was already pregnant and had to get married in a hurry, I remember the happiness of that day, it filled the very air itself. She was so proud and lovely and I was so happy on her behalf."

Thilian smiled. "And so you two also had a sort of wedding night."

Akisha nodded and rustled her hair. "Yes, and I have never regretted it a single time. Yes it was not all that pleasant but it was a transition, I was no longer a child, I was a woman and I was his."

Thilian smiled, she had a soft light within her eyes. "I have had a dream, I saw a child, a small girl. She was mine and Thranduils, I pray my dream will come true"

Akisha smiled softly. "I am sure it will, you and Thranduil will become very happy I am sure."

Shanrae started to laugh and the other women looked at her with confusion. "What?"

Enez looked truly puzzled and Shanrae grinned widely. "I remember something a friend of mine once told me. She and her boyfriend was finally ready to do the deed so to speak and they had found some nice spot in the woods where nobody would disturb them. They started and she started to scream like crazy, she almost scared the living daylights out of the poor fellow, he must have thought he had injured her seriously!"

The others stared at her and Shanrae grinned again. "You see, just as he started and entered her she discovered that she had one of those huge giant crickets sitting on her leg and she was terrified of them, with him on top of her she could not reach it or shake it off."

Akisha started to laugh like crazy and Thilian had to laugh too, suddenly she did not feel that nervous any more.

"Damn, that's a nightmare come true I am sure!"Enez voice was rather dry and suddenly the atmosphere had changed. It had become light and relaxed and Thilian was really enjoying it. The women sat there for hours chatting and exchanging gossip and Thilian was looking forward to her big day.

Thilian had to go to bed alone that evening, she was feeling alone but she knew that she probably never would have to be alone again when this night was over. She was feeling a bit restless but she fell asleep nevertheless, Jalisa had given her a huge cup of wine filled with herbs and they had their effect. She slept without dreams or any disturbances and she woke up simply because Frostbird was shaking her vigorously. It was getting light outside and she rubbed her eyes with a feeling that she just went to bed.

Frostbird nodded with a grin. "Hurry up, we have to bathe you and then it is breakfast, there is so much to do!"

Thilian tried to smile but felt a bit dizzy, Frostbird helped her get on her feet and put a huge bathrobe on her. They walked to the baths in silence until Thilian hawked and turned to the silver haired elf with a pleading glance. "Have you seen him yet today?"

Frostbird sniggered. "I have my friend, he is also rather nervous. Don't worry, you'll soon be together again and then you'll never again be apart."

Thilian smiled but she could feel her chin shivering, she was nervous again. They entered the baths and Enez and Carmariel were already there, both were ready for their job and started right away. Thilian was bathed and washed with soaps with the scent of wild flowers. They dried her hair and added perfume to it and then they tied it with ribbons and strands of beads. Thilian did not speak but she could feel her own heart thundering in her chest. They put on her some make up so she would not look so pale, then she was taken to the dining room for breakfast. It was apparent that everybody worked within a very tight time schedule, under no circumstance should the two of them meet before they stood at the altar. Thilian had no appetite but forced herself to eat, she knew there would be toasts and she did not want to get drunk, she needed something in her belly to protect her from the alcohol. Afterwards they went back to her room and Akisha and Elywen brought the dress. It looked even more magnificent now and once it was on they placed the necklace around her neck and she got a bracelet from Akisha. It was made with silver and moonstones and some small rubies and it was discrete and yet very elegant. Thilian saw herself in the mirror and could not believe what she saw, she looked amazing, it was as if she was staring at some stranger. The other ladies went one by one to bathe and change their clothing and Thilian was not left alone even once. She wanted this day to be over with, so she and Thranduil could be alone together. She wanted the fuss and the stress to be gone.

Thranduil on the other hand was no less nervous than Thilian, he felt like he had ants everywhere once more, could not relax nor rest. He was pacing around in his room until Raigh just grabbed him and pushed him into a chair. "Sit down, you will wear the floor down soon if you continue like that."

Raigh and Khir was there keeping him company and Thranduil tried to relax but it was hopeless. Raigh sighed and poured something into a cup from a belt flask. It smelled rather good but the smell was strong and he sniffed the liquid with a bit of suspicion. "Drink it, it will calm your nerves."

Raighs voice was stern and he obeyed and drank the whole cup. It tasted great and it did really help him relax. They put his new clothes on and he just allowed them to do their job, he felt like he was in some sort of dream. His hair was being braided carefully and he got new boots and a new belt. He did not wear any jewelry except a small necklace with a rose pendant made from bronze, it reminded him of her and he had bought it the day before. Everything was being prepared and Raigh told him that there would be guest there, many within the city were very involved with the circus and the king would most certainly send someone to represent him. Thranduil had not really realized how important these people and this place were.

The atmosphere of the place was electric, there was so much anticipation in the air. The guest had started to arrive and were greeted at the gates by Frostbird who had dressed in a blue dress, she looked very ethereal. The priestess had arrived too and was going through her preparations, everything was getting ready.

Thranduil knew that he would be the first to arrive at the altar, then the bride would follow and he felt a sort of knot form around his chest, this was the grand moment and he was feeling like some elfling once more. He remembered the last time he got married, oh it had been grand for sure. Many guests and lots of pomp and circumstance. He had felt trapped, angry even. He was being forced to go through with something he was totally against and something within him wanted him to just turn around and run. But he hadn't, it would have been a scandal. He had kept a calm face and he had been polite. Nobody could have been able to criticize his behavior on that day, he had played his role well. He had been unhappy, he had felt hurt and betrayed and he now realized that that feeling had haunted him for the millennia which followed. He had been unable to control his own fate and in an attempt to correct that he had become obsessed with controlling everything else. How could he have been so blind?

He remembered his wife, she had been so happy, so eager to please and he had acted like some jerk. Had he really tried to get to know her or had he just ignored her from the start? He could no longer remember and that was both a blessing and a curse. He would never treat Thilian like that, he would never take her for granted.

Someone brought a tray of fruit and some thin ale and Thranduil was starting to feel rather shaky. Raigh could see his expression and grinned widely. "Getting nervous are we? Don't worry, it will be fine."

Thranduil moaned, he could hear his own heartbeat and he had a very sheepish expression upon his face. "I know, but I can't help but feel like I am going to do something stupid and create a complete mess!"

Raigh shook his head. "Don't think then, just feel. Remember who you are, I am sure you know everything there is to know and more about behaving like a true gentleman. I am convinced you know all there is to know about etiquette too. Just try to pretend like this is some important meeting or something."

Thranduil grimaces, right, he could do that he assumed. He could pretend like he was meeting some important noblemen or emissaries from Lothlorien or Imladris. Breathe, just breathe and keep your posture. He remembered what his father had taught him and calmed down, a little.

He was almost completely calm and he had almost convinced himself that this would be a walk in the park when Rheynek opened the door with a huge grin. The hunter was wearing the clothes he had bought while in town and they looked amazing on him. "Everybody is ready, it is showtime!"

He winked at Thranduil who immediately felt how all his collected courage fled him and took his peace and calm with it. Suddenly he was shivering like a leaf in the wind and Raigh hoisted him onto his legs. The warrior sighed and gave him a friendly slap across his cheek. "Hey, focus! It is easy, all you have to do is try to look less like you are heading for your own execution and more like you are going to a joyous event. Smile damn it, right now you look utterly silly. You don't want Thilian to think she is about to marry the village idiot do you?"

He managed to grasp a hold of himself, he nodded at Rheynek and checked that his clothes were ok. The short walk to the arena was the longest and hardest he had ever done, he had to keep reminding himself to breathe, to smile and to walk with his head up straight. Since Raigh and Rheynek were his witnesses and best men they walked right behind him and he felt a little better knowing they would do all they could to prevent an utter disaster. He knew of a few grooms who had passed out at the altar, not a very dignified way to start a marriage.

The arena was prepared, chairs had been lined up, the altar was in place and someone had brought enough flowers to redefine the area as a garden. It looked amazing and he could see that everybody from the circus were present. There were also a lot of people he never had met and felt a little insecure right away. What would they think of him? He walked up to the altar and bowed before the priestess. She was an elderly and very dignified woman with long gray hair and a gentle but yet stern glance. He was getting nervous once more, the rituals were intricate and even thought the other men had gone through them in detail he was nervous he would forget anything. The priestess could see how nervous he was and she sent him a very reassuring and almost maternal smile. "Do not worry, I will help you if you forget anything."

He gave her a rather shivering smile and stared at the gathered crowd, he knew how to do this, he just could not remember. Raigh whispered at him. "Look at it from the bright side, it will soon be over!"

Thranduil nodded and he noticed how everybody stared at him, he felt self-conscious and nervous right away. He did not understand how majestic and proud he looked, his inner turmoil did not show on the outside and the lovely deep blue robe over a tunic in a lighter color with silver embroideries made him look rather ethereal and unworldly beautiful. The men had braided his hair so most of it fell freely down his back and even though he was a bit pale it was to expect on such a day. A gate opened at the other end of the arena and someone was blowing a horn. Thilian came walking towards the altar and Ghuad was holding her hand since he was her step-father. Shanrae walked behind her holding a sort of small parasol over her head and Enez followed her with a basket filled with white roses. Thranduil let out a gasp, he had never seen anything as beautiful as her in this moment. The dress could only enhance her beauty and she was smiling shyly at him. The crowd gasped too when she came into view and some got on their feet and bowed or curtsied. She walked slowly, head held up high and her eyes were shining, she looked so proud, so full of love and power. She was a goddess and he was blessed to be allowed to worship her.

Thranduil swallowed, it all started now, he had to remember what to say and what to do. Ghuad held Thilians hand until they too stood before the altar. Thranduil turned to face them and he and Ghuad stood right in front of each other. Ghuad raised his right hand and laid it on Thranduil's shoulder. He did the same and Ghuad smiled, the grin was friendly but also serious. "I bring you this bride. She is blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh. Given in trust, given in love. Honor her or face the wrath of the Gods"

The words were ancient and Thranduil managed to remember the answer, he had thought he would stutter and forget everything but it was all clear in his mind now, it was as if the sight of her had brought him to a state of peace he never had felt before. "I accept this bride, given in trust given in love. I will honor her or face the wrath of the Gods"

The priestess smiled and lifted an eyebrow to show how pleased she was with his very dignified and calm answer. She nodded and Ghuad lifted Thilians hand and placed it in Thranduils, she gasped at the contact and he could see how her pupils got larger. He felt the same way too, too happy and too moved to be able to express his feelings. The priestess pulled a string of rawhide out of a basket on the altar, she tied it loosely around their wrists and then she started to chant. The words were in the holy language nobody but the priestesses could speak but it was a blessing. She poured some wine onto the string and then she removed it again and threw it into a small fire burning in a pot on the altar. The deed could not be undone as the string could not be unburned.

Thilian smiled at him, he saw the trust and joy in her smile and he could not help but smile back. The priestess took two small daggers from the altar, one for each of them and they had to send them back and forth between each-others hands three times. It was a way of showing how he was willing to protect her and she to be protected by him. Earlier the ritual had included swords but they were heavy and in some cases a bit too dangerous. After that the priestess lined them up side to side, facing in the opposite direction of each other and they were told to raise one hand each so they held them together palm against palm. This was the tricky part, they had to walk around with their hands as the center of the circle, and they should not come apart because that was a bad omen. Both had to walk forwards for three rounds and backwards for three and they had to stare at each-others face the whole time. Walking backwards was not easy and absolutely not while wearing a long dress but Thilian managed, this part of the ritual was to show that they both were willing to give and receive, to lead and be guided.

Enez walked forth when they stood before the altar side beside like before. She sprinkled the white roses around Thilians feet, they were a symbol of her purity and Thilian blushed and looked down a bit. Thranduil now placed his hands around her waist and lifted her gently out of the circle of flowers, it was a symbol of her transition from a maiden to a wife and she shivered slightly at the touch. The priestess raised her hands and they knelt down before her. There was yet another blessing and now it was time for the wows. The priestess read them out loud one sentence at a time and both had to repeat them. Thranduil could hear how his voice trembled and it was thick with emotions. Thilians were shivering too but after a few minutes it was done. The wows were given and they were told to rise. The priestess smiled. "They are from this moment on and until the end of eternity bound together, one soul, one union. I declare them husband and wife!"

It was at this moment the crowd got on their feet and applauded and Thranduil was allowed to kiss her. He could not hear the cheering and shouting, all he could notice was her. He was drowning in her eyes, she was the whole world.

He took her by the hand and escorted her down from the altar and the others were applauding the whole time. Some threw rice at them and others also shouted obscenities, it was an old custom which was thought to ensure the fertility of the bride. It made Thilian blush so bad it felt like her cheeks were burning. They went to the dining hall where the feast was being prepared and Thranduil was in awe of all the work that had been done. Jalisa stood there wearing a rather peculiar and not particularly well fitted dress but she was shining nonetheless. To be given the honor of making such a feast was the peak of her entire career as a cook. And it was very apparent, the tables were filled with delicious things and Thilian had no idea as to what half of it was. The guests arrived and were seated and Thilian felt dizzy. There were speeches, blessings and congratulations, and faces, so many faces. She felt a bit trapped by the enormity of it all but his hand was holding on to hers the whole time and made her feel safe. She managed to smile at the guests, toast and appear calm and dignified.

Gifts were placed before them and Thilian was really shocked by all the things they got. Jewelry and money, weapons and rolls of expensive cloth. Thranduil was so calm, so apparently relaxed and sure of himself. He smiled and greeted the people and he looked as if he enjoyed himself. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I would rather hunt orcs than go through this but I guess there is no other choice."

She giggled and squeezed his hand and felt a little bit better. The wine was flowing and the food fantastic, she ate more than she had imagined she would and she had a little too much wine too. She felt a bit tipsy and giggly and perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing after all. The king had sent an emissary and Thranduil was greeting him with the dignity and politeness you could expect from a king, the man was a member of the royal family and presented them with two magnificent drinking cups cut from pure crystal. Thilian could see that Thranduil was impressed by the objects, they could not make anything similar in his world and she knew they would be treasured. Akisha and Raigh walked by, they bent down and grinned. "We have a gift for you too, but you won't receive them just yet."

Thranduil looked a bit puzzled and Thilian frowned. She had a strong suspicion of what it was, them? Luckily the etiquette didn't require that the bride and groom spoke, Akisha held a speech where she told of how he had transformed while he had been there and Shanrae also spoke of how grateful she and Ghuad were he had managed to heal her heart and make her whole. Now the atmosphere changed once more, dinner was done and Jalisa had made cakes and enough of them to feed an army. Akisha had hired musicians and they started playing, people were sitting down in groups chatting merrily and Thilian relaxed. Thranduil got on his feet and took her hand. "I think it is required of us to lead the dance."

Thilian swallowed hard but smiled and got up, took his hand. She was no dancer but it did not matter, he was so skilled at this he knew how to lead her and make it appear as if she was a true master. Soon she started to enjoy herself, she was aglow with happiness and danced with almost all the men there. Thranduil danced with all the ladies and received many congratulations and advices for the night to come. It made him blush a bit and he was getting a bit nervous once more. Elywen and Hawk came and sat down by their table. Elywen was clad in green and looked amazing and Hawk was in black and white and did look a bit less frightening than usual. Thilian talked a bit with them before Carmariel and Janrem joined them too. Carmariel was in white and looked stunning and exotic. She kissed Thilian on her forehead and whispered a blessing in her own language. There was dancing and singing and as the evening fell some of those songs started to become less prudish and more indecent. It turned into a real party and Thilian was dancing with Thranduil once more. They were slow dancing rather close and she knew they were expected to sneak away from the party soon. It was also tradition, the bride and the groom should try to get out without anyone noticing that they were gone and everybody should try to catch them leaving the party. The sun had set and the sky was flaming and beautiful, it was a cool evening with little wind and many went outside to dance and sing some more. Thilian was starting to get a strange feeling, she was not exactly nervous but she wanted to be done with it. She could see it in his eyes too, they were dark with love and desire and she did not fear him anymore. It had to happen so why wait? There were still people placing gifts on the tables Jalisa had destined for that use and the heap of things was impressive. Thilian went over to them and stared at everything with a feeling of confusion and a bit of despair. She could not believe that she had been given so many lovely things, and how in the name of everything sacred would they manage to thank everybody properly?. She did notice a wooden box with no card on it and lifted it, it was elongated and very beautifully carved and it was made from a special type of wood which was rare and expensive. It smelled very good and did never rot. The lid could be slid off and she did and gasped, the thing inside was something she had heard of but never seen. She blushed so bad she almost dropped the whole thing and he noticed and grinned when he saw the content.

"Oh gods, that is…that is…!"Her voice was shivering and she could not really look at the object, it was made by a master no doubt, carved from ivory and quite realistic looking.

Thranduil whistled and grinned. "A masterpiece. "

He leaned down and whispered to her. "But I am proud to say that its rather small compared with me!"

She blushed even more and she noticed a card inside the box. She picked it out and read the words on the backside of it. "For the moments of need when he is not available, I doubt it can compare with the real thing but I hope it will do the trick and be satisfying none the less, in a storm any harbor will do. Love Enez"

Thilian giggled and blushed and felt angry at the same time. "Oh Enez, that …that little….I am gonna strangle her!"

Thranduil closed the box. "Easy there my love, I am sure she meant it very well. It must have cost her a fortune, those things are not cheap."

Thilian looked at him and her eyes revealed that she was a bit shocked by the artifact. "She isn't really suggesting that I should use it?!"

Thranduil shrugged and grinned, he had a somewhat devilish glimpse within his eyes. "I guess she does, I don't mind if you do. If I am not there for some reason I would most certainly prefer that you use that thing to keep yourself satisfied rather than jumping any of the palace guards!"

She snorted. "I would never do that and you know that darn well, there is only one man in this world for me and that is you!"

He smiled softly and kissed her hair, whispered to her. "I know my love, as there is only one woman for me, you!"

He grasped her by the elbow and led her toward the table where all the cakes were placed, it was almost none left and Thilian had a strong suspicion that there would be a lot of people suffering from a serious hangover and stomach cramps the day after. Thranduil picked up a small cookie and took a bit of it, he nodded towards the door to the kitchen. "Nobody is looking, should we make a run for it?"

Thilian felt how her legs suddenly felt rather wobbly and she got butterflies in her belly once more. "Yes, let's go!"

They got out through the door and through the kitchen without any of the guests noticing that they were leaving and Thilian giggled and felt a bit silly. It was like when she was a kid and played hide and seek. The room they had gotten for the night was the best in the entire circus, it was reserved for special guests and quite large. It was luxurious and beautiful and someone had gone to great lengths to assure that it was romantic. There were candles lit everywhere and on a table someone had placed some bottles of wine and other beverages. There were some fruit too and some sandwiches. The tray of sandwiches had a card on it from Jalisa, to keep the strength up through the night it said and Thilian giggled a little. Thranduil stopped by the beverages and he got a funny expression on his face. He picked up a small bottle and Thilian frowned. "What is that?"

He grinned. "Chocolate sauce!"

Thilian stared at fruit. "For the fruit?"

He grinned even wider. "Nope, someone here knows what they are doing apparently, must be a connoisseur! It's to be eaten yes, or rather, licked!"

Thilian did not understand and she stared at him with an expression of confusion. Thranduil sighed and walked up to her. "Hold out your hand!"

She reluctantly did and he poured some drops over her fingers. Then he sat the bottle down and slowly he lapped the sauce from her fingers. Thilians eyes got wide and she gasped, the room had suddenly gotten very hot and she could hear her heartbeat. She understood what the sauce was for. "Ah, say no more, I see!"

He grinned and the grin was a bit wicked. He leaned forward and kissed her gently and she could taste the sweet sauce on his lips, suddenly she felt like her lower belly was on fire and the heat moved down even more. She gasped and he nodded, took her by the hand and walked over to the bed. It was huge and covered with a beautiful crocheted bed spread and some nice soft cushions. It looked very inviting but Thilian felt a bit frightened once more. She knew what would happen to her on that bed and even though she longed for it she was also a bit afraid. In a few hours she would no longer be a pure maiden and she could feel her heart beat fast and hard against her ribs.

She remembered something Akisha had warned her about and knelt down, lifted the bed spread and checked under the bed. Thranduil looked very confused and cocked his head, when she lay there on her knees he could really admire her perfect butt. "What in the world are you doing? Checking for monsters under the bed?"

He could not help but laugh a little and she turned around and looked at him with a grin. "No, I am checking that nobody is trying to pull some kind of practical joke on our behalf."

He frowned. "Do you think they will?"

Thilian grimaced. "Some places it is a tradition, Akisha warned me about it. They can do things like putting mice in the bed, pull the plugs out of the bedframe so it falls apart when there is movement upon it and things like that. It is said to bring good luck"

He took a look around, everything looked normal. "Right, but under the bed?"

She nodded. "Akisha told me of a trick which is rather popular, they tie a piece of string to the springs underneath the matrass and attach a piece of cork at the end. And underneath the cork they place a jug of fresh milk on the floor and the next morning they check to see whether or not there is butter on the cork"

Thranduil did not understand, he was not used to milk and the production of dairy products and Thilian blushed and moved her hand up and down. "It's how they make butter, by moving something up and down through the milk, so when the matrass and springs go up and down the cork does to and so on and so forth, got it?"

He blushed, he could see it with his imagination and Thilian giggled. "If there is no butter on the cork they will mock the groom and claim he has been lazy and not very manly"

Thranduil grinned widely. "Check under the bed one more time, please!"

Thilian just shook her head. "Once is enough, there was nothing there."

He nodded and grinned. "Good, then we'll have nothing to worry about."

He pulled the bed spread off the bed and hung it on a chair, then he pulled the soft blankets aside and Thilian felt how her body tensed up out of pure anxiety. She could not control it, not any longer. He turned around and saw the expression within her eyes, she looked utterly vulnerable and he knew he would have to do everything right to avoid any problems. He leaned towards her, let his forehead rest towards hers. "Afraid?"

She nodded, she could not lie. He cupped her chin with his hands and kissed her softly. "Do not worry my love, I will let you set the pace. If you don't feel like it we can wait, I don't mind."

She had to grin. "Really?"

He nodded and his eyes were sincere. "Really! I can wait knowing it is you I am waiting for."

She sighed and lifted her face towards him. "I know, I am just…scared!"

He nodded and kissed her again. "You are afraid of the unknown, it is to expect. But you do remember what we did in your room right? We'll see if we can get to that point and then we'll take it from there when or if you feel ready for it."

She tried to smile and put up her most brave expression. "Ok, that's a good plan. "

Thranduil stared into her eyes, they were so wonderful and clear and he kissed her slowly. She felt that heat return once more and some of her fear disappeared. She had longed for something like that experience once more and felt reassured knowing he would listen to her and respect her wishes. He smiled softly. "Then first of all, let's get comfortable!"

He slowly untied the ribbons within her hair and it fell down, he let his fingers glide through it and kissed the back of her neck, she could feel the heat of his breath and it felt almost like some sort of fluid flowing down her back. It made her shiver and moan and he removed her necklace and bracelet gently. Then he pulled off his robe and tunic and stood there in a soft undershirt, he nodded to her and she bit her lower lip and pulled it over his head. He untied his own braids and kicked off his boots. Thilian giggled a little out of sheer nervousness and got rid of her shoes and was going to pull her stockings off too but he stopped her. He guided her over to the bed, made her sit down. "I'll do that for you."

She cocked her head and looked at him with confusion, she was very well able to get rid of her own stockings. He grasped her foot, he was kneeling down in front of her and she winced when she felt him slide his huge warm hand up her leg underneath the skirts of her dress. He never took his eyes off her face and slowly he pulled the thin garment off her. She immediately felt very exposed even if she still had her dress on. He did the same thing with the other stocking and she shivered ever so slightly. Then he helped her get back upon her feet and started to undo the lacings of the dress. She felt his breath against her shoulder, he kissed it while he let the dress fall towards the floor and she stood there only clad in her thin undergarments. They were mostly of lace and made to look seductive more than to cover anything up. He moaned at the sight of her and she could see the fire in his eyes. He was kissing her neck once more, letting his mouth slide up towards her ear and then he kissed her mouth. Thilian was feeling like she stood next to a red hot fireplace, she tried to touch him in return and he appreciated it. Soon her lips felt almost sore from the passionate exchange of saliva and she was shivering from head to toe in a mixture of anticipation and fear. Thranduil was whispering to her, soft words she yet had to learn the meaning of but his at the moment rather husky voice did turn her knees into jelly. He got his belt off while kissing her, let his pants drop and was left with his shorts. Thilian had that burning sensation within once more, she hungered for him but she was yet to afraid to admit it, even for herself. He pulled her last garments off, he could have ripped them off her body but he tried to be gentle and the sight of her naked made him moan her name. "Oh gods, you are so beautiful, so perfect"

He gently lifted her and placed her in the bed, then he got rid of the shorts and slid onto the bed next to her. She gasped and he could see the conflicting emotions within her, he slowly started to caress her breasts once more and she gasped and closed her eyes. "Relax my love, you are safe, just enjoy it."

He had problems speaking and Thilian was letting her hands slide through his hair, almost pulling at it. He licked and sucked her nipples and heard how her breath became ragged and fast, he slowly let one hand slide down between her legs and found her wet and rather ready already but he would have to wait. He wanted her to come at least once before they attempted to fulfill this. Thilian was stunned by how fast he had ignited that fire within her once more, it felt just like it had when they were in her room and she wanted more, so much more. She wanted to touch him in return, let her hands slide over his muscular warriors body and hear him moan in pleasure. She kissed his neck and he shivered, then she tried to kiss one of his flat small nipples and was rewarded with a gasp. She grinned to herself, so he was sensitive. Good to know.

Thranduil was glad he had managed to awaken her lust once more, he let a finger slide between her slick folds and began to caress her sensitive nub once more. Thilian felt like ever nerve in her body suddenly had caught fire, she pressed her hips up against his rhythmical caresses and her breathing had become panting. He was leaning over her, sucking her nipple while his finger caressed her clit and Thilian was sweating now, she was squirming and could not really understand how she could survive this overwhelming onslaught of feelings. He was bringing her closer to the edge with each gentle flick of his finger and she closed her eyes and surrendered completely to her emotions and her body.

Thranduil was glad she didn't touch him more than she already had, he would not have been able to control himself if she had. He had to remain in control for as long as he could. She was so beautiful, caught in the maelstrom of her own desire and he felt something akin to reverence at the sight of her rapture. She tensed up, her body went rigid and then she closed her eyes and grimaced as her release rushed through her, she called out his name and he felt how he was close to following her right there and then without even having been touched. But he had his plan ready, as soon as she relaxed he slowly let a finger slide into her. Thilian gasped and her eyes went wide and she lifted her head and stared at him. She had not anticipated that and absolutely not this new sensation. "Just relax and try not to over analyze what you are feeling."

She nodded and he started to move his hand again, slowly in a very gentle rhythm. He let his finger slide between the walls of her inner passage and he could feel how tight she was and how her muscles clenched on to him. He moaned her name, almost on the breaking point. Thilian was beyond conscious thought once more, the sound of her own heartbeat thunder in her ears and her entire body aching with her need. He added another finger and Thilian could not help it, she started to push against his movements, screaming as another climax rushed through her leaving her bone less and limp upon the bed.

She was panting and shivering and yet she wanted more, she wanted to go the whole way, to feel his cock in her where his fingers had been. She no longer cared if it hurt, she was part of him, and they belonged together. She grasped onto his shoulders, pushed herself towards him and kissed him once more. "Please, do it, I am ready"

He shivered, closed his eyes. She was more than beautiful, she was brave too. "Are you sure? Do not let me do this just to please me"

She shook her head. "I want you, I want to be as one with you. I have only one question…"

He nodded and kissed her lovingly. "Yes my love?"

She blushed, he could see how she was shivering but now it was with desire. "May I…be on top?"

Her voice was a bit thin and nervous and he let his hands trail over her, nodded and smiled at her. "Off course, it is very wise of you my love. You will decide how much of me you can take then, and how fast."

He moved closer to the center of the bed and laid down on his back, put a cushion behind his neck and she hesitated for a second, then she placed her legs on each side of his narrow hips and got into position. He raised his hands, caressed her breasts once more, heard her moan and saw how her breath was quickening once more. He let his hand slide in between her legs, caressed her gently again and she hissed and closed her eyes. He placed his hands on her hips to support her and she stared into his eyes. He was in awe of the sheer determination within her golden eyes, she wanted this to be fulfilled just as much as he did. She reached down and steered him towards her entrance and she winced when she felt the head of his cock against it, he was already slick with pre cum and she was wet so there would be no problems with lubrication. At least one less thing to worry about.

Thilian felt weird at that moment, she had a feeling of power, of control. She decided her own fate and she felt strong and a bit proud of her own courage. Slowly she let her body relax and could feel him starting to slide into her. Her eyes opened up wide, she gasped and her face told of utter disbelief. The sensation was so different from what she had expected she barely could believe it. She allowed him to slide a tiny bit deeper into her and felt how something inside of her resisted the penetration. She gasped and swallowed and he met her glance. "I love you Thilian, I wish there was a way to avoid this."

She could feel the love within his voice, saw his desperate need for her in his eyes and felt how his body shivered against her own. She was in control, she was the strongest one there now and it felt like freedom. Freedom from fear, from guilt and regret. "But there aren't!"

She took a deep breath and then she pushed herself down, impaled herself upon him and took him inn entirely. The pain was not as she had expected, it was much sharper, more piercing and she could not hold back a short scream. She felt like she was about to be ripped in half and she was shuddering and gasping. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and yet she felt triumphant, as she had been victorious somehow.

Thranduil could not believe that she had done it like that, he could feel how her maidenhood gave way and was torn and the scream she made was terrible. He could not believe that she was this bold, this determined. She sat still, whimpering and he raised a hand, wiped tears from her cheeks. "Oh my sweetest love, heart of my heart, I am so sorry. But it is done now, there is no need to cause yourself more pain and discomfort."

She tried to smile. "No? And what about you? "

He stared at her, confused. "What about me? What do you mean?"

She swallowed. "You haven't had your release yet, even if I have come twice. That is a bit unfair would you not say?"

He did not know what to say, she should not think about him and his pleasure now, he could see how much she was hurting still. "Thilian, it doesn't matter, really."

She smiled gently, lifted his hand to her cheek and then she kissed it gently, she started to rock her hips against his and the feeling made him gasp. "It matters, to me!"

She was very careful, moving slowly and she could feel how she was teetering on the edge between agony and pleasure. There was pleasure, she felt whole, filled and stretched and it was wonderful and yet it hurt like hell. She used every bit of will she had within her to do what she did, she found a rhythm and angle that didn't hurt too bad and his eyes were black and he was covered in sweat, gasping as his pleasure grew towards his release. Thilian had started to feel a sort of frenzy, she was in pain but she could no longer control her own body. It knew what to do by sheer instinct and she was moving faster, letting him get deeper into her as she fucked him. He was almost fighting it, he did not want to let go of his control but he had to, it was simply too much for him. With a guttural growl he grabbed her hips again and started to thrust up against her. He was screaming her name with every thrust, he was seeing stars and sparks and he had a feeling that he would pass out soon. Thilian was calling out his name, her face contorted by pain and pleasure and she opened her eyes and caught his glance with her own the moment his orgasm claimed his body. He looked as if he was in agony, screaming her name so loud she feared everybody within the building could hear him. She could feel his cock pulse within her, spurting warm seed into her and she screamed once more, triumphantly. It was done, it was completed. He did pass out, the world went black before his eyes and when he woke up she was laying on top of him, letting her fingers glide through his hair. She was smiling, there were tears in her eyes still and he could see she was in pain. There was blood on her inner thighs and he felt like a bastard for having enjoyed it when she had clearly suffered through the whole thing but she had wanted him to come and he would not have been able to make her change her mind.

He knew her now, knew how truly amazing she was and how strong her spirit could be. She was as strong as the very bones of the earth and he felt that she would do anything for those she loved. He felt tears flowing from his own eyes as well, tears of sheer happiness. He had never known you could weep because you were happy. He silently again thanked the Valar for bringing him to this place and allowing him to meet her, to be complete. He pulled the blankets over them and Thilian rested against his chest, she was already asleep and he was so moved by her courage and trust he wept even more. It was with a profound feeling of humility he slowly fell asleep.

On the other side of the wall there was a small storage room, Wilbwyn and Khir and a couple of the other guys were gathered there. They were grinning like crazy. "She did check under the bed, but I am glad Akisha did not know of the other trick"

Janrem grinned from one ear to the other. "She would have killed us had she known, so everybody, keep your mouths shut please. "

The men giggled and moved towards the door, there would be no more entertainment for a while. Wilbwyn removed the very thin fishing line they had attached to the headboard of the bed. A tiny hole had been drilled through the wall and the line had been tied to a broomstick which was placed against an overturned flower pot in such a manner that every movement of the headboard made the stick move in and out of the top of the pot. Wilbwyn grinned. "Damn he was loud, and I must say they had a very good rhythm together"

Janrem was shivering with withheld laughter. "He roared like a stag in rut! But no doubt they will hear the pitter patter of small feet soon. "

Wilbwyn made wry smile. "Just don't let him know about this, he is a very changed elf but he is still very dangerous, do not doubt that for a second!"

The others just grinned and they left the room and headed back to the dining hall for yet some hours of drinking and partying.

Thilian woke up in the middle of the night from a strange sensation, it was as if someone else was in the room for a few seconds. A fleeting shadow, a spirit of some sorts. She gasped and closed her eyes, she was laying with her head on his chest and he was sleeping soundly. He did not notice anything out of the ordinary. She let her hand glide across her flat belly just once, she smiled. A very content and happy smile, a smile filled with promises and longing. "Narya, little fiery one, I welcome you. We will meet, soon"

She closed her eyes once more, resting in the knowledge that her dream was going to come true. She did no longer fear the future, she had all the strength in the world, and all the love she could ever need.


	12. Chapter 12

Well, everything comes to an end eventually, Thranduil will have to return back home and how will that happen? He will meet a wizard with an uncanny appearance, there will be goodbyes, gifts and tears. And we will see how his son has been coping with his fathers disappearance, it is indeed about time he returns. And yes, there will be barbeque, Ghuad has a gift for the happy couple too, some nasty orcs are gonna get the surprise of a lifetime. And there will be yet another wedding, yes happy endings!

**Chapter twelve Goodbyes, meetings and barbeque**

There is no sorrow in this farewell

Friends may not be kept apart

Time and space are but words

And there are new worlds to explore

The morning came with a swift breeze and a chill in the air, very few were up and about as the sun rose above the horizon. Just a few servants who were trying to clean up the utter mess left by the guest, the party had not ended until the eastern sky started to grow brighter. The stable boys were doing the morning rounds as well, all were hangover and tired and stumbled about while cursing the very fact that there were such a thing as wine.

A couple of the apprentices had been given the task of guarding the gates and they had never felt less prepared for the task. They were leaning on their spears and took turns at puking behind the small shed at the entrance. Both were green in color and felt like their feet had turned to jelly. Suddenly they did notice a man who walked towards the entrance, he was holding the reins of a huge red gelding and he wore a cloak made from some soft deep dark blue cloth. It was embroidered with runes in silver and the whole appearance of the man told everybody this was a wizard. The two apprentices tried to look intimidating and strong and the man stopped and stared at them. They could not see that face within the cowl of his cloak but they could hear him laughing, a soft sound and a rather deep voice. "My goodness, now there's two throats who have seen more than their fair share of wine I recon."

The guards groaned and the man reached out, touched their hands ever so gently and suddenly the feeling of nausea and pain disappeared. They stared at him in awe. The man was leaning onto his staff and nodded. "I am Marteen, I have been summoned to send someone home to where he belongs."

The guards nodded, one of them ran to find someone in charge and Marteen grinned and looked at the giant walls of the circus with narrow eyes. He had willingly obeyed when the black wolf called him, and he knew the Gods had been wise. The evil which infects one world will also affect others and he did not want to see the whole intricate weave which was creation be undone and destroyed. He was more than happy about doing his job. He bowed when Elywen came running, he sensed what she was and was honored to meet her. "Greetings daughter of flames, I have come to help a certain elf return home."

Elywen did not know whether she should be happy or sad, she knew he had to return but somehow she felt a sting of sorrow. They had grown rather fond of the elven king and to watch him open up and become a new person had been wonderful. "Follow me then, I do not think they are awake just yet. But there is food and drink and I hope you don't mind waiting? "

Marteen shook his head. "Not in the least my lady, I will have to wait for a few days anyhow, the stars are not in the right alignment just now."

Thranduil was the first of them who woke up that day, the sun had been up for several hours and he shook his head and felt a bit dizzy. He could see Thilian beside him in the bed, she was curled up against his body and he shivered with affection and awe. She was so perfect, so soft and vulnerable and yet so strong. He leaned over and stroked her hair, she made a small sound and opened her eyes. They sparkled when they saw him and he kissed the tip of her nose. She giggled and stretched. She winced and he knew she was feeling some pain, he felt so guilty still. Thilian grinned and ran her fingers through his hair. "I am glad there is a bath here, because I seriously need it. "

He nodded, they both needed a bath, they reeked of sex and he blushed and got out of bed slowly. He felt a bit light headed but walked to the bathroom and filled the huge tub. The living area had a pipe system which provided the best rooms with running water and he remembered how amazed he had been at that system when he got aware of it. When the tub was ready he helped her into it and it really caused him pain to see how she struggled walking. She bit her lip and tried to smile. "I knew I would feel sore, but not this much!"

He hugged her, kissed her neck. "I am so sorry, we should never have…"

She pressed her finger against his lips, silenced him. "I don't want to hear another word of that, you hear? It had to be done, it is over and when I have had a few days to recover I am looking forward to try again"

He kissed her and felt how the love made his heart swell within his chest. There was oils and soap there and he helped her getting clean, she was very careful when she washed herself between her legs, it hurt but she did not really mind. She was really his wife now and the pain would disappear. When she was done she helped him in return and then they dried off while eating some fruit and drinking some thin wine. Thilian had organized for fresh clothes to be laid ready for them and she slowly got dressed in a rather elegant green dress. He helped her and then he put on a clean tunic and some new pants and his boots. It was so late in the day it was really the afternoon before they left the room and walked into the dining room. The activity was staggering, the place was being cleaned up and the servants were running around like headless chickens. Otherwise from that there was little sound, nobody was up and about yet and Thranduil grinned widely. "Weird, we are the newly-weds and we are the first to get out of bed!"

Thilian giggled. "Let's hope it isn't a bad omen for us!"

Thilian noticed that Elywen was sitting at a table and a man sat in front of her with his back towards them. He was covered with a cloak and Thranduil froze, he sensed the magic which surrounded this man as something almost visible. He knew it, the time had come to return and he gasped with a mixture of hope and fear. Elywen got on her feet. "And there we have the happy couple, come sit, there is someone you'll have to meet. "

Thilian was feeling a bit embarrassed, Enez had been right, she had some problems with her gait. She was so sore she tried to keep her legs as far apart as she could. She wondered if Naragh had anything which could help relieve the discomfort. She held onto Thranduils hand and they sat down next to Elywen. The stranger lifted his head. "I am honored to meet you both. I am Marteen and the goddess has sent me to help you get back to your own world."

He had the cowl on still and Thilian got curious . "Not to be rude, but why are you hiding your face?"

Marteen sniggered. "I have my reasons but heck, I'll let you see. But I am warning you, the sight is far from beautiful."

He pulled the cowl off and Thranduil let out a startled whimper, he was staring at the man with utter disbelief. Thilian covered her mouth to strangle a scream and Marteen nodded slowly. "Ah, I expected that. Familiar isn't it?"

Thilian swallowed again and again. It was as if she was looking at Thranduils twin only that this man was human, and he had dark hair and green eyes. The right side of the face was a vision of angelic beauty, the left a charred scarred monstrosity. Thranduil was staring at the man's face and he was breathing hard, he was having huge problems looking at the damages. This was far worse than the damage he had gotten from the dragons fire. "What…What.."

Marteen grinned, a wicked grin. The eye on the left side had not been affected, it was as emerald green and sparkly as the other, filled with a glimpse of recklessness and a bit of ruthlessness. Thranduil knew that this man may worked on behalf of the light but he was not good, not a creature of light. He was probably both cruel and dangerous, even gruesome if he needed to be.

"It was no dragon who caused this, this is the loving memory of a demon I tried to summon thinking that I was strong enough to control the beast. I was not, hubris is if not a sin definitely a weakness, one we are both suffering from every now and then."

Thranduil was frowning. "Why are you saying this, we have just met, you don't know me?"

Marteen grinned, the grin vicious. "Oh but I do know you because I know myself. There are an infinite number of worlds and in each and every one there is a version of every soul alive. I am you Thranduil, in my world I am the same person as you are, just in another body with a different life path, "

Thranduil stared at the wizard. "I can't believe it!"

Marteen sniggered. "Hard to believe or what? But I do see that the good looks are running in the family so to speak. "

Thilian was letting her gaze glide between the two men, yes the similarities were striking. "So you are basically just another version of Thranduil?"

Marteen nodded. "That my lady is correct. We have been faced with the same kind of challenges and opportunities, and solved them in different ways."

Thranduil stared at Marteen with a feeling of slight antagonism, he did not know whether or not he liked this man, he could see a reflection of his own self within the wizard, of the parts of his personality he now hated and loathed. Marteen grinned once more. "Good boy, I see that you dislike what you see, that's nice. It tells me there is hope for you. I was lost a long time ago, and only my own hatred towards the dark has prevented me from becoming one of its minions. I have done terrible things, things so awful it would give you nightmares, believe me when I am telling you that I am here not only to send you back home but as a warning of what you may become if you should return to your old self. I am very powerful, so are you. We may not possess the same kind of powers but it is a fact, it corrupts the soul and it becomes increasingly easy to make excuses and use that power in darker and darker ways. I can see in your eyes that the notion of this is familiar to you. "

Thranduil swallowed, he felt ice cold and knew that the wizard was right. Marteen nodded towards Thilian. "She will keep you on the narrow path so to speak, she is the purest of light and she can chase even the darkest of shadows away."

Thranduil grasped her hand once more, held it towards him without knowing he did it. It was as if he tried to protect her. Marteen nodded. "You are very possessive, so am I, but remember this, you may befriend a dragon, even break one but you can never tame it. Let her run free and try not to protect her against everything. She is stronger than you are, believe me. We are both mere dust in the wind compared with her. "

Thranduil looked at her lovingly and kissed her cheek. "I am more than aware of this"

Marteen nodded and his face was calm. "In three days we have to leave, so you'd better start packing your stuff and prepare. "

Thilian had a sort of vulnerable expression within her eyes. "Is there any way we may return to this world again?"

Marteen nodded. "Yes, I will create a magic that will allow travel between Mirkwood and this place whenever it is necessary. It is not to be abused mind you but it will allow you to keep in contact with your loved ones."

Thilian let out a sigh of relief. She had been afraid she never would see her step parents again. Marteen sent her a surprisingly gentle smile. "Do not worry fair one, your bonds shall not be broken so easily."

Thranduil was also relieved, he had feared that she would become unhappy if she had to leave everything behind completely. Marteen got up, he was just as tall as Thranduil and almost as graceful as an elf. But he was a human or was he? Thranduil sensed something weird about the man, something unnatural and Marteen saw his suspicious expression and grinned, the grin a bit crooked. "You are of course right, I am no human although I appear as one. It the world in which I was born there are dragons, rather similar to the kin of your lovely wife and her step-father. Back in time, far back in fact, so long ago it would make your world seem young there was a terrible war. One man was leading the battle against the darkness, a mighty warrior of dragon kin. I am a distant descendant of this man. My mother was a chosen one, born to gather the forces of light once more and conquer the darkness but she was too weak, she fell in love with my father and another descendant had to take her place instead."

Thilian gasped. "So you are of dragon blood just like me?"

Marteen nodded. "Yes, but no skin-changer I am afraid. My father's blood prevents me from that."

Thranduil frowned. "And your father? Who was he? I sense something about you that is just not…right"

Marteen nodded calmly. "Yes, you may say so. My father was a vampire, I am a child of both death and life, of light and darkness embraced. I am a living impossibility, a trick of fate perhaps. But it has given me tremendous power, of which I am very grateful in deed."

Thranduil felt a shiver run down his back. "Indeed!"

Marteen waved a finger in front of Thranduils face. "Was that sarcasm? Beware my friend, do not fall back to your old ways. "

Thranduil managed to smile. "Not a chance"

Thilian bit her lower lips. "Three days, oh gods there will be so much to do. I do not know where to start!"

Thranduil felt a bit of relief knowing he had few belongings here. Just some clothes and the gifts he had been given. It made him remember the gift he had for her, he had almost forgotten about it but he smiled to her and nodded to Marteen. "We'll speak again soon, I have something I have to do"

The wizard just grinned and lifted his jug in a salute. Thilian stared at Thranduils eyes with a bit of confusion. "What now?"

He took her by the hand and led her back to his room. He had a silly grin on his face as he opened the door and dropped a huge packet into her arms. "This is yours my love, your morning gift."

She looked a bit shocked, then she grinned and looked eager. She ripped the paper off the packet, it was a very beautiful book filled with thick sheets of paper and several good pens.

"I have seen your drawings, they are good so I thought I'd buy you some real equipment"

He had her hanging around his neck before he had time to react. "Oh thank you Meleth I guilen"(love of my life) She was clearly very happy about his gift and he felt almost overwhelmed by her reaction. Thilian kissed him and he kissed her back, enjoyed the feeling of her firm body towards his own. He was starting to look forward to the moment when they could be as one once more but he would not push her, she would decide when she felt ready to receive him once more. Thilian immediately sat down with the book and wrote her name in it and started to make a drawing of the circus. She would be occupied with it for a while so he decided to go and see if he could find the others. He had to tell them he would be leaving soon and it made him feel sad. This place had changed him forever, shown him the errors of his ways and taught him where true strength was.

The others were gathered in the dining room, Elywen had told them about Marteen and the wizard was sitting by the fire with the cowl back over his head and a jug of ale in his hands. Akisha got on her feet when he arrived, she looked a bit sad. "I am glad and sad at the same time. I know you have to go and save your son and your people but I will be very saddened to see you go."

Thranduil smiled but his heart missed a few beats and he felt something swell up inside his chest, a sort of longing he had no name for. He had felt so welcome there and somehow he belonged there too, he did not know why or how but he knew that this place still would be important to him. Akisha tilted her head and smiled, a very beautiful and kind smile and he had not really realized how truly gentle she was at heart. You only saw the priestess or the warrior on daily basis, not the real person inside. "We will help you both prepare, and you will get all the pack horses you need."

He bowed his head to her, a gesture he probably never would have dreamt of doing just months before. His people would have gotten the shock of their lifetime if they had seen their arrogant and haughty king bow his head to a mortal woman. "I am very grateful!"

Akisha grinned once more and Raigh placed a hand on her shoulder, he was grinning too. "We have a gift for you, it did not arrive until a couple of hours ago."

Thranduil got curious and Akisha grinned at him and grabbed his hand. "Come, it's in the stable"

Thranduil followed them and they were met by Dheg who looked very thrilled, he was literally shaking with joy. Thranduil had a strong suspicion that he would be given a horse but he had to stop and stare with a slack jawed expression. He and Thilian would get not one horse each but a whole herd of horses. Five gorgeous dapple grey mares, all tall and elegant and of the same breed as Akisha's Steelhawk. He had never seen mares this beautiful and powerful, not even the people of Rohan had animals equal to these. He was staring at the mares and Raigh sniggered. "Those are beauties, they will surely make excellent broodmares and they are all in foal. Three by Steelhawk and Two by Nightblade."

Thranduil did not know what to say, breeding from these mares would give him the possibility to create a breed of superior war horses. Akisha raised an eyebrow. "But to breed horses you need also stallions"

She waved her hand at Dheg who hurried and opened the door to the small hall where they trained the young colts. Inside were four animals and Thranduil could not believe that these were for him and Thilian. He stared in disbelief at Akisha and Raigh who both looked very pleased with his expression of awe and shock. "Yes they are yours from now on. The two steel gray ones are the sons of Steelhawk and they are named Steelblade and Bladedancer. The two black ones are sons of Nightblade and their names are Shadowblade and Nightsword."

Thranduil could not speak, the horses were the spitting images of their sires and he knew that only one of these stallions alone were worth a huge fortune.

Akisha cocked her head. "We own a stud farm closer to the great plains, we have kept the best horses there and are breeding these races. All four have been trained as war horses by our finest trainers, you will find no horse better than these anywhere. "

He had to hawk to be able to speak. "I…I can't believe that they are for us? They are so amazing!"

Akisha just slapped him across his back and smiled once more. "You deserve them, and as a king I think you would expect nothing less as a wedding gift, and as a parting gift as well. "

Thranduil could only marvel at the beauty of these amazing horses, he felt a little giddy. What would Legolas say when his father returned with not only a new wife but also such treasure? He had already decided that Legolas should get one of the black stallions, he would be overjoyed for sure.

Akisha waved her hand. "We have saddles and tack ready for each of them, do not worry. We have been honored to have you as our guest and I hope that Marteen really is able to open a portal between this place and your home."

Thranduil nodded, he was still staring at the horses. "Yes, Thilian would not like it if she never was to see Ghuad and Shanrae again."

He suddenly got an idea, it just rushed into his mind and he felt like a complete idiot for not having thought of it before. "Akisha, I have learned so much here, and there is yet much more to learn. Could my son possibly visit this place? I am sure he too would benefit greatly from such a new and different experience"

Akisha just nodded gracefully. "Of course, he will be most welcome!"

Thranduil let out a sigh of relief and grinned, he was suddenly looking forward to returning home to Mirkwood.

The next two days became almost a blur of activity. He had no idea how he managed to keep his cools while the people of the place so obvious were sorry we was leaving. He was invited to one last drinking party with the men and he did not manage to get back to Thilian before the sun was rising. She was not angry but a bit annoyed, although she understood his need for this. When he returned he would be a king once more, he would not be able to just let his hair down and be one of the guys. Their gifts were packed and properly registered so they knew who had given them what. He had been truly shocked by the gift Rheynek had given him, it was a sword he was sure had to be of dwarfish origin, it was so exquisite and beautiful and he learned that the material it was made from was sacred and would destroy all evil creatures even if it only nicked them. A huge green gem was placed within the pommel and another smaller one on top of the blade itself. Rheynek though he would need it and Thranduil had been so stunned he barely managed to thank the hunter. The sword was called Adhkar which meant eagles talon on an ancient language of this world and he knew that Rheynek had a similar sword called Nadharn which meant fang of the wolf. Akisha had one too, Elthear which meant the tigers claw and he realized that these were legendary blades, created by the very hands of the Gods, That he should be worthy of carrying one such weapon was almost scary. He hoped he never would have to use it, no matter how perfect it seemed to fit him.

He last night before they were to leave he and Thilian went to bed early, Marteen told them they had to be ready at sunrise and he felt a bit worried that something would go wrong. He had said his goodbyes to many people he now regarded as his best and truest friends and he felt a bit sad and almost melancholic. Yes they would be allowed to return to visit but Marteen had warned them about using the portal too often, once or twice a year could be allowed but not more often than that. Naragh had promised to send medicine and equipment with them together with instructions for their use and effects. Thranduil was certain that his healers would be thrilled to learn something new and he was also convinced that Naragh would insist on visiting Mirkwood as soon as possible. Thilian had packed all of her belongings too and she was torn between sadness and joy. She was looking forward to seeing his home but she also disliked the idea of not being able to see her step parents again for months. She was cuddled up against him and half asleep, both exhausted from a long day. He was letting his fingers glide along the scars on her leg, they were only fading lines by now and hardly visible. She was healing so fast it seemed unnatural. And he had been a great part of that process, as had she with him. They had fixed each other and now it was time to fix the problems at home. He just hoped that it wasn't too late in any way. He had been gone a long time, everything could have happened.

Thilian smiled at him and dozed off, she was so sweet and so young and yet she harbored a strength he only could compare with the most powerful people he knew of back home. He was looking forward to introducing them to each other but he strongly suspected that they all already knew. He too drifted off into sleep and spent the final night at this place without a single disturbance of any kind.

The morning came almost too soon, Thilian and Thranduil was awakened by a gentle knock on the door and someone shouting that it was time to get up. Thilian sighed, she did not want to get up, she felt so relaxed and drowsy and just so darn well. She mumbled something and tried to dig herself into the cushions and blankets once more. Thranduil smiled at her, the smile was melancholic and a bit worried. He just hoped that everything was alright back home, that some disaster had not happened while he was away. "We must get out of bed my love, there is no point in trying to defer this. "

She just sighed and got out of bed, she washed and got her clothes on. She had gotten a beautiful riding suit from Elywen, it was made from deerskin and velvet and it hugged her curves and yet it allowed her to move freely. Thranduil had gotten something similar, he looked like a hunter when wearing those clothes and he was so handsome her heart skipped a few beats. Thilian had everything packed and some servants would bring everything to the stables while they were eating. The dinner room was filled with people, everybody was there to bid them goodbye and Thilian felt like crying. She would of course see them again but it felt strange to know that she was heading for an entirely different world. Jalisa had made some huge portions of their favorite food and she had also filled the saddle of one pack horse with spices and stuff and also a lot of recipes. It was an honor to be trusted with her recipes and Thranduil was sure that his cooks would love some new ideas. They ate in silence. Marteen was already out there preparing the magic and Thranduil felt a bit scared, that man gave him the creeps.

When they had finished the meal everybody came to hug them and bid them goodbye and there was a lot of heartfelt advice and farewells. Thranduil was hugged by the women and he had to admit he enjoyed it, a lot. Even Akisha gave him a good hug and her eyes were a bit more shiny than usual. Raigh shook his hand and Hawk grabbed him by the elbows and nodded at him. "Keep your steel sharp and your eyes open my friend. Do not let anyone get in your way, and stay safe my friend"

Thranduil bowed back, he had almost a sort of brother in this man and in the others there as well. He had never had friends like these and he would always cherish and honor them above any others. Thilian hugged Shanrae and cried and she looked so very young and vulnerable, Thranduil felt almost guilty for taking her away from everything she had known and loved. He felt sad too, he had no idea as to what would happen now and his heart was beating hard and fast. The horses were ready, the two silver grey stallions had saddles on and the other horses were tied in a line behind them. The packhorses were ready too, it was twenty of them and a cart pulled by two mules. It was filled with things and Thranduil raised an eyebrow when he noticed two barrels of Derns best brandy hidden at the bottom of the cart. That stuff could burn the hairs of a horse and it had a taste that was just fantastic. He was looking forward to see the expressions on the faces of the elves he allowed to taste it. He was sure it would be rather comical.

He helped Thilian into the saddle and suddenly he heard hooves and Ghuad came riding out of the stable on an old mule. It was so lethargic it didn't mind carrying him. Thilian looked at him with confusion. "I am going to follow you, I have a strong sensation that my presence may be needed. It is my wedding gift for you"

Thranduil was staring at his father in law with huge eyes. Ghuad grinned. "I cannot stay for long, but I can at least see the place my daughter from now on will call her home"

Thranduil smiled, he felt a sense of relief knowing the dragon would follow them. "You are most welcome."

Marteen was waiting for them in a clearing in the woods and they had to hurry but they did not leave until they had waved goodbye once more. Thranduil was riding Steelblade and Thilian Bladedancer, both horses were so well behaved it was a joy to ride them and the black stallions and the mares followed willingly. The pace was slow because of the cart and Ghuads rather sluggish mule, but they got to the clearing in time. Marteen was waiting and he was smiling. He had pulled the cowl away from his face and they both sensed the magic in the air. The wizard grinned and walked over to a huge carved pole he had placed deep into the soil. "This is the focal point of the magic. Whenever you want to return this is where you'll go first. I will make sure you end up rather close to the palace, but not too close. There will be a similar pole there, when you all have crossed through the portal grab the pole and say my name. Then it will become invisible. Whenever you want to return grab the pole once more and say my name again, that will activate the portal. It works the same way from both sides. Got it?"

Thranduil and Thilian nodded and Marteen sighed. "I cannot cross over with you, unfortunately my presence in your world would have terrible effects so I must stay here. But fear not, the magic is safe and it will last for as long as you wish."

Thilian sighed and touched Thranduils hand. "I am ready my love, do you think they will like me?"

He smiled and leaned over, kissed her hand gently. "They will adore you, just as I do"

Marteen touched the pole and a strange flicker seemed to spread through the air in front of them, It had the shape and size of a fair sized gate and it looked like the surface of a quiet pond. Almost a mirror but not quite because you could see no reflections within it. Marten nodded and grinned, his face was very sincere. "Good luck to you my brother, may the goods hold their hands over you both and protect you and one day we'll maybe meet again. I will keep you in my heart as I know you will remember me. Go now, your presence is needed."

Thranduil bowed to the wizard, then he urged Steelblade forward and the brave horse did not hesitate. He walked straight into the wall of magic as if there was nothing there. Thranduil felt a rush of something cold and for a second he felt like falling and a sense of panic almost rose within him but then he opened his eyes and saw that he was in a clearing in Mirkwood and he knew this place very well. He had taught Legolas how to ride right there and it held many joyful memories. He turned his head and saw how Thilian and the horses and the cart and Ghuad appeared through the shivering magical wall. When everybody was through he touched the pole and said Marteen's name and it became invisible just as he had said it would. Thilian was looking at the forest surrounding them with awe, she smiled at him and he urged the stallion forward. The palace was not far away, he was eager to return home now. Yes he felt sad to have left the circus but he could go back and he was so very grateful for the things he had learned, about himself above all. He had become a new ellon now and he hoped that he would become a better ruler as well. Thilian let her horse gallop beside his own and they were making good speed.

The palace was buzzing with activity, the whole place was in utter chaos. Warriors were running everywhere, gathering weapons, getting into the right group, receiving orders and so on and so forth. Legolas was standing on the balcony overseeing the courtyard, he was shivering inside. He looked strong and determined but on the inside he was so scared he was ready to run and hide. Now he knew what his father had felt when his grandfather had fallen, he knew the sensation of pure sorrow and of being utterly alone and unprepared. He had never expected to be the ruler of this realm like this, so suddenly and in such a strange way.

He had been confused at first when his father disappeared, they had tracked his horse and the track had suddenly stopped in the middle of the path as if he had vanished into thin air. Oh they had been looking for him, for weeks they had been searching the woods and the areas around Mirkwood. But not a trace could be found and the advisors were trying to convince Legolas that it was time he took his father's crown and title. It was rather obvious that Thranduil was gone and if he was dead or not was anybody's guess. Legolas had refused almost violently, he knew his father was still alive and he did not listen to them. He was alive, he would see him again.

Legolas could not allow himself to believe that his father was gone, not even once. It would be like betraying him, if he gave up hope then he would be truly dead. As long as he had hope there was a chance of him returning. Oh he had cried himself to sleep so many nights, he had been sure he had heard his father's voice and he felt like some huge part of him had been ripped away, the wound was still bleeding and it was slowly eating away at his soul and heart.

He remembered his youth, when things were better and the days filled with light and joy, He remembered when his father had taught him to swim in the ponds, how they had laid on the bank of the river and let the sun warm them after the cold bath. He remembered how his father carried him around, how he would tuck him in for the night and sing him to sleep. The very thought of his father being gone forever was unbearable, it was just impossible. He had always been there so how could he be there no more?

Legolas knew their relationship had been far from good lately, they had drifted apart and he did not really know how or when it had happened but his father had become distant and cold. There was no more laughter in his eyes, no more light. Legolas knew he had become a ghost of his own self and it had been so very painful to witness. And now they were claiming that the same thing was happening to him, he had too much on his mind, too many responsibilities, too many things to consider. To rule this place was no easy task and he was so very grateful for all the help he got. He had good strong advisors and many who tried to take some of the burden off his shoulders but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He barely slept and had no appetite, he had somehow lost the very spark within when his father disappeared. He remembered the last time they spoke, the words had been harsh and cold, and he had wept more than once. He should have told his father how he felt, that he loved him no matter what but he had been silent, and now it was too late. He knew it was his love for Tauriel that had triggered some of the problems, his father did not think she was worthy of him and he disagreed. She was such a fierce soul, a flame of determination and strength and he admired her so much.

Some of his friends had hinted to him of the possibility of marrying Tauriel now that his father was gone, there was nothing standing in their way anymore. But he could not, even if the idea was very tempting. He felt like he would be committing some kind of betrayal if he did, he wanted to but he just couldn't.

The warriors were getting ready, he sighed and tried to gather his courage and his thoughts. Since the day his father disappeared the situation had been getting worse than ever, there were orcs and spiders crawling everywhere and he had used most of his time trying to organize the defense of Mirkwood.. He had been successful so far but now a huge army of orcs had been seen marching for Mirkwood and he knew this would be a battle they could not win. Yet they had to try, they were few in numbers but they were fighting for their home and the ones they loved. He had ordered for the women and children to be moved to the deepest caves and they would be guarded by the best warriors. He could not allow any doubt to cloud his mind but he knew that they all would be slaughtered if his warriors were defeated. It would be a massacre and he had told the warriors to kill everybody before letting the orcs get them. He had given the order knowing he was dooming his people but he had no choice, they were too few in number and their allies had no chance of getting there in time. If the orcs got the women and children alive it would be a fate far worse than death and he knew that they knew of his order. He wanted to be with Tauriel, he needed her so much, to hold her just once, show her how much he loved her. But he could not, it was too late. Too late for everything. The only thing he had left was regret and if he survived this day he knew it was the curse he was bound to endure for the rest of his life on Arda.

His heart felt hollow and cold and he knew it was a feeling his father had been all too familiar with, he now knew what his father had been struggling with. His proud and haughty father had been lonely, had been insecure and scared. He had always feared he would do mistakes, that he would do something that would harm his people, that he wasn't a good king for his subjects. Legolas knew, because he now shared those same feelings. He was so afraid, so very afraid that his decisions would be wrong and eventually bring the end of his people. He had cried the entire night and he had not tried to hide the evidence either. His eyes were red and sore and he had dark rings underneath them. He had lost a lot of weight and felt weak. Not the best condition to be in when confronting the enemy but he had no choice. Tauriel rode out in front of her troops, she looked up at him once and he caught her eyes with his own for a brief second. The thoughts of what could have been were so bitter, so terrible. He whispered her name, wanted to scream to her that he loved her but he could not, he was a coward. He took a deep breath, then he walked down the stairs to get his horse. He was wearing a full armor and they all were prepared for battle but their chances were slim. He was riding into doom and death and he only wished he could have told those he loved how he felt one last time.

He was just about getting ready to throw himself into the saddle when he heard a shout from one of the guards on the bridge in front of the main gate. It was so loud everybody heard it. "Someone is coming, three riders and some loose horses and a cart."

Legolas frowned, who would be travelling through the forest now? And be heading right for the palace? Some emissary from the other elven kingdoms? He felt a faint hope and turned towards the gates, he heard a strange noise, the guards were suddenly falling to their knees and Legolas felt as if time itself suddenly froze. Two riders entered the courtyard riding the most amazing horses he had ever seen, a rider wearing a cloak with a deep cowl rode behind them on a mule and behind him came a small herd of horses, also just stunning animals and about twenty sturdy pack horses. A huge cart followed, pulled by two huge mules. Legolas stared at the riders, he could not believe what his eyes were telling him. Then he heard the voices, shouting out in disbelief and relief and joy. "The king, the king has returned!"

Legolas just gaped, it was his father, it was Thranduil but he was so changed. He looked younger, more vibrant. There was light in his eyes once more and he looked so healthy and fit. It was as if time had reversed itself and brought back the ellon Legolas remembered from his childhood. There was a sudden chaos, everybody was calling out, some were crying, others were so stunned they could not move. Legolas let go of the reins and he whimpered, he felt like his chest was about to explode. He had never been so relived in his entire life, his tears had started running once more and he did nothing to stop them. The other rider had been almost hidden from view behind his father and now he saw her. It was an elleth, and Legolas had never seen a greater beauty anywhere except his beloved Tauriel. She was breathtaking and looked a bit scared and shy. The third rider was still covering himself but Legolas sensed a sort of power from the man which gave him goosebumps.

Legolas walked forwards, he did not feel his legs move, he felt like he was floating and Thranduil saw him. Their eyes met and Legolas let out a choked sob. "Adar!"

Thranduil jumped off his horse with an elegance nobody had seen the likes off, then he almost ran towards his son and the two embraced each other with tears flowing freely. Thranduil hugged his son so hard Legolas was gasping for air, he hugged his father back and he could not really believe that this was real. His father was back, and he was obviously stronger and healthier than ever. "Ion nin, how I have missed you!"

Legolas was sobbing with joy. "Oh ada, where have you been, we have been looking for you everywhere! They thought you were dead!"

Thranduil kissed his sons forehead. "But you didn't did you?"

Legolas closed his eyes and rested his head towards his father's shoulder. "Never!"

Thranduil smiled, his eyes were filled with tears still and he let his fingers glide through his sons hair. "Ion nin, you look terrible!"

Legolas had to snort, he tried to smile but could not. "I know, things have gotten…complicated!"

Thranduil took a look around, the troops were lined up and ready for departure and he got a serious look within his eyes. "I see, orcs?"

Legolas nodded, he saw that the elleth on the horse was looking at everything with wide eyes, she appeared to be very young and he wondered who she was. "Ada, who are these friends of yours?"

Thranduil grinned and went over to the huge silvergrey horse the elleth sat on. Legolas could not stop looking at these horses, they were so beautiful and the two black stallions were even more amazing. Thranduil could see how he stared and grinned again, it was a glimpse of joy in his eyes. "The two black ones are called Shadowblade and Nightsword, you can have one of them if you like, just pick the one you like"

Legolas was staring at his father with huge eyes, indeed had his father changed, and he was going to own one of these amazing steeds? He could not believe it! He felt a sort of almost childish joy starting to gather within his heart, he had never even dreamed of owning a horse like that. Thranduil lifted the girl off the horse and she blushed and looked around with a glimpse of worry within her eyes. "Thilian, this is my son Legolas, Legolas, this is Thilian, she is my wife!"

If the moon had fallen down and turned out to be a huge wheel of cheese Legolas would not have been more surprised, he was just staring at his father in slack jawed amazement and he did not know what to say. Thranduil leaned over and whispered something to the girl and she giggled and kissed his cheek, oh it was so apparent. Legolas could see the shine in his father's eyes and the softness of his glance. Thranduil did really love this elleth and Legolas suddenly felt like he too could have kissed her, just for having changed his father in such a way, Thilian lifted her hand towards him and he took it and kissed it politely. She was indeed very lovely and he could understand his father very well. "I am most honored to meet you hiril nin"

Thilian blushed and smiled. "The honor is all mine"

Legolas stared at the man on the mule, he felt a bit nervous and the horses of the guards whinnied and tried to get away from him. "Ada, who is this?"

Thranduil smiled. "Ghuad, you can remove your cowl, you are among friends."

The man pulled the cowl down and everybody just stared at the tall man with the strange and yet beautiful features. "Legolas, this is Ghuad, he is Thilians step father, so he is my father in law. He has come with us to offer his help if it is needed, and from what I can see here, I am sure it is deeply needed."

Legolas swallowed, he stared at the man again, it was as if he was hiding something and Ghuad grinned, a slow grin which revealed that this was a creature you didn't toy with. Thranduil laid his arm around Legolas shoulders. "I arrive to find the entire army gathered and lined up and my only son in armor and ready for battle. How bad is it?"

Legolas sighed, his father had returned but it would not change much or would it?

"It is hopeless. There are a huge army of orcs heading this way, they are close to the outer border by the old ruin, at least a few thousand strong."

Thranduil bit his teeth together. "I feared something like this, where are they, show me on the map!"

Legolas went over to a table someone had placed along a wall, it had maps and he found the right one and pointed at the area where the orcs had been seen. "They were here, heavily armored and with good weapons. They are coming to destroy us once and for all Ada, I have prepared for battle and sent the women and the children underground but I fear we stand little chance."

Thranduil grimaced. "I have brought a weapon they never will be able to defeat."

He waved his hand at Ghuad who dismounted the mule and walked over towards them, he moved with the flowing grace of an elf but with far more power and Legolas stared at the man with a mix of fear and respect. "Ghuad, take a look, what do you think?"

The tall stranger bent over the map and studied it for a while, he cocked his head and bared his teeth. "I see one perfect spot, if that is a narrow valley or canyon it will become a death trap"

Thranduil nodded. "It is a narrow valley, there are steep cliffs on both sides."

Ghuad laughed. "Even better, I will enjoy this my friend, a lot"

Thranduil turned towards Legolas. "We will need a hundred warriors on horseback, no more. The rest can stay here to protect the palace in case some orcs manage to escape but I have a strong doubt anyone will. "

Legolas did not understand at all, he was just staring at his father who suddenly had become very dynamic and eager. Thranduil smiled and nodded at the warriors. "We will not lose a single man today my son, not if the Gods are with us. Ghuad is a skin-changing dragon, he will destroy that army utterly."

Legolas was just staring in disbelief and he had problems breathing. A dragon? Where had his father been really? Thranduil went over to Thilian and waved his hands at two servants who were staring at him as if they were seeing a ghost. "Ciliel, Lango, show her the way to my rooms and make sure she has everything she needs. She is your queen now so show her respect and clear out half of my closets. She'll need them now."

Thilian swallowed and she looked scared, Legolas began to understand that she really was very young and he had a somewhat crooked grin on his face. So his father preferred the flowers of youth. Thranduil kissed her openly and very passionately. The elves who were assembled there just stared with huge eyes, their king had never openly shown any sort of emotions and absolutely not the amorous type. "Follow them my dear, I'll be back very soon and do not be afraid. Your step father will remove this danger and then there will be a great feast in your honor."

Thilian just nodded, she knew they had landed right in the middle of a very dire situation and so she accepted that she had to stay there but she was so afraid something would happen to him. The servants bowed very deep and she followed them with her heart beating like crazy. She just hoped that Thranduil's people would like her.

Thranduil waved his hand at his butler who had stood there looking like a man who has been pardoned with his head already on the block. "Darion, prepare the palace for my return, make sure there is food and drink and room for everybody. Use all the servants you need and make it quick"

The man just gulped and ran like he had a pack of orcs at his heels and Thranduil grinned and turned towards the soldiers. "Protect the palace and keep the gates shut. Troop three and four may follow me and my son. We are going to get rid of that orc filth once and for all!"

Legolas saw that Tauriel was sitting on her horse, she looked as if she was in a bit of a shock and he swallowed hard, he had a chance once more, a chance of telling her how much he cared about her. They could survive and have a future even if they had to stay apart. Thranduil saw where his son was looking and hid his wry grin. "So, Ion nin, you are still infatuated by that Silvan elleth?"

Legolas took a deep breath. "Yes Adar, I love her with all my heart. "

Thranduil stared at Tauriel with narrow eyes. "And she, does she share your emotions?"

Legolas sighed, one more speech of how he should stay away from her and forget her. "She does Ada, she loves me too"

Thranduil had a strange light flickering within his gaze and Legolas brazed himself for just about anything. His father was notoriously unpredictable at his best, he could perhaps send Tauriel away forever and Legolas would never get over that. "Good, it would be a waste to have a wedding with just a groom and no bride"

Legolas slowly turned his head and stared at his father, his eyes were so filled with confusion and disbelief Thranduil had to laugh and rustle his sons perfect warrior braids. "What? Have I sprouted an extra head or something? You heard me, if you still want her she's all yours son. Heck, let's get you two married tonight, it will be just perfect."

Legolas was ready to swoon and Tauriel was staring at the two with her mouth open. She looked just plain silly for the first time in her life. Thranduil gestured for her to come over and she dismounted and came forth on shivering legs. She could not believe what she just had heard, was this some kind of cruel joke or was it real? Thranduil placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know you'll never be a perfect princess and wear gowns and dance at the balls but you are the right elleth for my son and I am sorry I have been blind to the truth all this time. But you two elflings have my blessing. "

Tauriel gasped and Legolas embraced her, he was crying and whispering words of joy and love and Tauriel started to cry too. Thranduil grinned. "I have gained a daughter, isn't it that they usually say when their son is getting married? Anyhow, Tauriel, you may go to my personal servants and get a gown of your choice. Then you can have a bath and let the maidens do your hair. If you are getting married I think a full suit of armor is a poor excuse for a wedding dress."

Tauriel could just make a weird squeaking sound before she curtsied and ran off, too overwhelmed to be able to speak.

Legolas could only whisper. "Thank you Adar, from the bottom of my heart!"

Thranduil cupped his sons face between his hands. "I have been blinded for so long, I did no longer know what light and love was, I was fading my son. But now I have seen the truth and I know what I must do to save you from becoming who I was. Only love has that power Ion nin, only love"

Legolas hugged him again and Thranduil smiled and nodded. "And now, let's annihilate some orcs shall we?"

Legolas stared at his father with some questions lingering and Thranduil grinned, a wicked grin. "Do not worry my son, I have a plan!"

Legolas got back on his horse and they left with two troops of cavalry. It was just a hundred men and Legolas was feeling a little worried but he trusted his father. He seemed so much more relaxed and self-assure and he had a new sort of energy to him. They rode hard and Legolas could see that the lovely steelgray horse was a trained war horse. He could see how proud his father was of the horse and he was looking forward to learning where he had gotten such an amazing steed. They rode for a couple of hours and then they saw the narrow valley in front of them. Thranduil stared at it and his eyes were determined and hard. "Troop three, you will engage the enemy, make them follow you but try to avoid getting too close. I do not want anyone killed is that clear?"

The men nodded and he looked at the officer in charge of the second troop. "You split your men in two groups, you are to attack from the flanks but only from a distance, kill a few and then retreat, taunt them, make them forget to watch out."

The officer nodded but was a bit confused, this sort of guerilla techniques were not usually the way they fought. But he saw the plan behind the orders and the men rode off. Ghuad got off the mule and he had a weird grin on his face. This would be fun. The valley would become a baking oven and he really enjoyed killing orcs.

Ghuad walked into the woods until he found a clearing big enough for him to transform himself back to his real shape. It was as if his soul did the equivalent of changing clothes. There was a flash of bright light and he stretched himself and got comfortable again. He tested his wings and his tail, smacked his terrible jaws shut a couple of times and there was a strong determination burning within his gaze. He kicked off from the ground, the trees shook and the ground too, it was impossible for him to land or take off without causing a minor earthquake. His magic was strong, as soon as he was airborne he cloaked himself and flew high up above the canyon. He had a very clear idea of what he was to do. He just had to wait for that perfect moment to strike.

The elves did what they had been told to do, the orcs were moving forward at an amazing speed, they were filled with a deep thirst for blood and death and they knew they would win. Their master had told them to destroy this elven stronghold and kill everyone they saw and it was an order they were more than happy to follow. They did not get surprised at all when elves suddenly showed up and attacked, they had anticipated it and the troops roared and went into a counter attack. The elves turned and rode back while shooting backwards and several orcs fell but it did not affect the others at all. They had no loyalty towards their own comrades. There were elves everywhere or so it seemed, executing lightning fast attacks and then they disappeared again and the officers were roaring with rage and confusion. This was not the normal method of defense, but it did not matter. This army was too great to be stopped by anything.

The orcs were so set on killing the attackers they did not realize that the elves were almost herding them towards a valley ahead of them. To the officers it looked like a perfect place to slaughter the damned elves and get rid of them so they could continue on their path towards the palace. The orc army started to chase the elves, they hoped that they would be able to trap them within the valley and the officers did not manage to control the blood thirst of their soldiers. The urge to kill was too strong and the army rushed into the valley like flowing river of darkness and death.

Thranduil and Legolas and a couple officers were placed in some tall trees on a hill, they could see the entire valley and Legolas started to understand Ghuad's plan. Thranduil was just waiting. The officers gave a signal using a horn and the elves no longer tried to fight the orcs which were at their heels. They just spurred their horses and rode out of the valley as fast as their steeds could carry them. The orcs believed that their prey was fleeing and a sensation of triumph overtook them, they had put fear into the hearts of these puny worshipers of light. They followed and the entire army was now inside of the valley, rushing forwards with no other thoughts than the desire to catch up with the fleeing elves and kill them all.

High up above the valley Ghuad saw the time was right for him to make his move. He grinned and pulled his wings inn, he was falling fast, diving like a peregrine falcon towards his prey. As he fell he started to fill his chest and throat with fire but he kept his maw shut. The pressure was building up until he was harboring an inferno, the throat was swollen, his chest as well and the temperature was unimaginable. He was going to do something only the very strongest of dragons could even dream of attempting, it was a maneuver known as the wall of wind and it would rip the wings off a dragon not powerful enough to take the terrible powers it would unleash. He fell like a rock towards the valley but he fell at an angle, not straight down. At just the right minute he suddenly opened his wings fully and came to an abrupt stop, the sudden resistance felt like hitting a solid wall but in front of him he created an area of compressed air, a wall of wind which started to move away from the dragon like a miniature hurricane. And in that exact moment Ghuad opened his mouth and spewed forth flames hotter than the surface of a star. It created a fire storm, a scorching roaring river of flames which engulfed the entire valley completely. The orcs had time to see the falling dragon, they had time to get a few confused thoughts as to where that dragon had been coming from and if it was a friend or foe. The answer was delivered with lethal force, the orcs did only have time to register a second of intense agony and then nothing more. Ghuad flew along the canyon, he made sure that no orcs had survived and he also crushed a few slow ones who had not managed to follow the rest, one strike with the immense tail and they were smithereens. Ghuad rose above the valley and roared in triumph, he grinned and hovered in the air. He noticed how absolutely shocked Thranduil's son and officers looked and knew he was greater and more terrifying than any dragon this realm had ever spawned. "I will take a round and see if I can roast some spiders while I am at it if you don't mind."

The voice was like thunder and Thranduil just nodded. "Go ahead, enjoy yourself but do not let yourself be seen."

Ghuad grinned and took off, there would be very few spiders nests left once he was done with his job. He could use his flames with just as much precision as a welder uses his torch and the forest would not be harmed. He was really enjoying himself.

Legolas stared down at the now singed valley, the entire area was covered with a thick layer of ash and the rocks had split apart from the heat. It felt like standing next to a baking oven and he stared at his father with shock within his eyes. "Ada? Where have you been? I did not know a dragon could get that huge? And good?"

Thranduil just smiled at his son. "I will tell the entire tale tonight, do not worry. I will let you all know what I have been through, believe me, there is much to know and even more to learn. Come now, it is over, we can return to our home and celebrate. These orcs will never bother us again and if new armies should try to do the same thing we can summon Ghuad once more."

Legolas felt his legs shiver a bit. "Then our home is safe?"

Thranduil sighed. "Safer my son, not entirely safe. Not until the very root of all evil has been destroyed once and for all. But we have won a battle and things will be different from now on."

Legolas did not question that remark, not for a second.

They returned to a palace which was utterly different from earlier that day, the sense of relief and new hope was causing an euphoria that made some of the elves act rather hysterically. Servants were running everywhere, trying to prepare for the feast and others were helping in the kitchens and unpacking the stuff the king and queen had brought with them. Thilian had waited within Thranduils private rooms and she had been in awe of them, they were so beautiful and full of light and she knew she would love this place. The servants were very efficient, they had moved his stuff into some closets and placed hers in the vacant spaces and things were getting in order with record speed. She was wondering what she should be wearing when there was a knock at the door, a servant opened it and Tauriel came forth, she had put on a beautiful dress in a dark green color and she was practically beaming with joy. She bit her lower lip, then she rushed forward and hugged Thilian who was a bit stunned by the sudden outburst of emotions. "Thank you, oh thank you thank you!"

Thilian smiled at the elleth who was close to tears. "It is not me you should thank?"

Tauriel did remember that this was her new queen but she had just not managed to follow the etiquette, she had to show this beautiful young creature the magnitude of her gratitude. "It is, you have changed him, if not for you he would never allowed me to marry his son. I owe you everything my lady, I will do whatever you ask of me. I am your loyal servant from now on"

Thilian let a hand glide over Tauriels shiny red locks. "Oh Tauriel, I am so glad on your behalf, but do not call me something saucy like your majesty or your highness. We are family from now on Tauriel, call me Thilian and I will regard you as my sister from now on!"

Tauriel was staring at the young elleth with huge eyes, she could see the deep kindness within her glance and the softness of her heart. She knew that they from now on had a queen so gentle and filled with compassion she would transform this very realm entirely. Tauriel could just nod before she ran out of the rooms again, she had to prepare for the feast and she still had problems believing that this really was happening.

Thilian got the help of a couple of very awestruck maidens to get into the green dress she had been wearing after her wedding, it was very nice and she stared into the mirror and knew she looked stunning. She looked over at the huge bed in the middle of the bedroom, it looked very comfortable and she grinned to herself. She was rid of the discomfort now and she swore to herself that this her first night in her new home would be spent in the best possible way.

When the men returned not a single warrior had been killed, a couple had received some minor injuries and a horse had been killed due to a fractured leg but that was all the losses they had had. Legolas had to head for the baths to wash and get ready for the feast and he was still stunned by the events of this amazing day. He felt like his head was floating in the skies and he could not believe that all of his dreams were to come true.

Thranduil spent the couple of hours left before the feast together with Thilian, he was showing her the palace and she was just in utter awe of its beauty. He realized that he never really had regarded it as a home, but now he did and he felt so happy he barely could believe it. He changed into clean clothes but he did not dress as sumptuous as he had before. His clothes were more modest and simple and he knew it had to do with his new feeling of inner strength. He had been insecure and fearful and tried to dress in a way that revealed the opposite. But now he no longer needed those fancy things, he had inner strength and that was all he needed.

The feast started and everybody was crammed into the courtyard and the surrounding halls. The atmosphere electric and many had come forth and pronounced their loyalty to their king once more. Everybody could see that he was a changed person. His personal servants were in shock when he didn't ask for wine and he looked more humble but at the same time stronger, much stronger than before. His previous strength had been nothing but a façade, a masquerade to hide his inner turmoil and fear. Now he had returned as an adult, and as a true king.

Thranduil got up and told the story of where he had been and what had happened to him. Everybody was silent and Legolas was just staring, he could hardly believe it but he felt grateful beyond words, the Valar had really blessed them all by placing his father in that situation. Ghuad had returned just before the feast started and he was seated close to the king and he was grinning the whole time. He had not killed all the spiders of Mirkwood but he had managed to burn the biggest nest, the problem would be much less threatening from now on. Thranduil presented Thilian as the new queen of Mirkwood and everybody was cheering. It was indeed a happy evening and Thilian felt so welcome and cherished.

Thranduil called Legolas and Tauriel forth and made them take their oaths and wows in front of the crowd before he presented them as husband and wife. There was even more cheering and laughter and the young couple was now seated next to each other and they could not tear their eyes away from each other.

There was dancing and singing and Thilian grinned to herself. She had never thought that elves could be so fond of partying and joy. Thranduil made Legolas taste some of Derns brandy and the young prince was gasping for air and had to drink a glass of water afterwards. His father just sent him a crooked grin and told him it would provide him with lots of strength for the night to come. Thilian had placed herself next to Tauriel who was blushing from her new father in laws jokes. She had never seen him act like this before, so relaxed and just normal. The night was falling and Thilian knew that the couple soon would leave, the servants had arranged Legolas rooms so that Tauriel could move into them right away and she noticed that the elleth looked a bit nervous. Thilian knew why, she hid a crooked grin. She had brought a small box from the crates of medicine Naragh had given them and now she slid it into Tauriel's hand. The elleth looked at it with confusion and Thilian leaned over and whispered into her ear. "It is an ointment, it helps a lot against soreness and such. If your new husband is anything like his father you are gonna need it dear!"

Tauriel did not understand at first but when she did she blushed so deeply she almost looked scarlet and giggled. "I…thank you! "

Thilian just petted her hand. "You are most welcome mellon nin, I am sure you will have a night worth remembering"

The party ended, everybody left and Thilian and Thranduil was finally alone in their rooms. She had already made it clear that she no longer felt sore and wanted him and before long they were in bed and Thilian finally knew how it was supposed to be. The pleasure was just overwhelming and the huge bed did not fall apart but that was just due to its very strong construction. Both were making a lot of noise and did not care, this was their new home and everything was as it should be. This would once more become a home, a place filled with love and joy. Thilian had never imagined that it was possible to do it in so many positions and she was not ashamed to scream with pure ecstasy, neither was he.

Thranduil rooms were placed so that the prince's rooms were right on the other side of them with a small hall between. There were guards placed at each door and they had to stand there no matter what. Both guards were a bit wide eyed and both were blushing. They were not allowed to move but one threw a quick glance around and saw nobody. He caught the glance of the guard on the other side of the hall and grinned, moved his elbow up and down in a very suggestive gesture and the guard on the other side grinned too and nodded and repeated the gesture. The noises coming from both rooms left no doubt about the activities which were going on. It was good to know that their royal family was so happy and that the halls once more would be filled with life and light. Yes, the days to come would be good.

Thranduil was almost asleep, Thilian was deep within dreams already and he too felt like dozing off, he was just too tired to sleep. He had a sheepish grin on his face and felt satisfied to the very bone, it had been wonderful to be able to make love to her without fearing that he would hurt her and he hoped that her appetite for this would remain this strong forever. She was just amazing and he could not get enough of her. He suddenly heard a voice whispering to him. "Welcome back my friend, we are all glad to see that you have healed completely."

There was a hint of mischief within the lovely voice and he sighed and grinned. "Indeed I have, and I suppose that none of you know anything about why and how I ended up in a parallel world?"

The female voice just giggled. "We are completely innocent my friend, we just prayed that the Gods would help you and they did, and in a most wonderful way I must say. You are a new ellon"

Thranduil nodded. "Yeah right, you had nothing to do with it, and I am sure I saw a pig fly the other day. But I thank you never the less, you saved me!"

Galadriels voice was fading. "No, you saved yourself by allowing yourself to feel once more, we just started the whole thing. Thank the Gods, the Valar and the Gods of that other world. The black wolf is very powerful and I am grateful we have her sympathy and love. Never forget that, it may help us in times to come. Rest now my friend, be assured that you will have many happy days to come"

He smiled softly. "I know, thank you once more!"

The voice was gone and he closed his eyes and pulled Thilians warm body closer to himself. He had fallen but he had been found, he had been lost but he had been saved. Never again would he be the lonely and cold soul he had become, never again would his son have to face the darkness alone. He would be there for him, and he would be there forever.


	13. Chapter 13

This is an epilogue, i wanted to reveal how their lives will become later, when they have settled into their new situation. Thranduil's and Thilian's daughter will be born, and her name Narya means fiery if I haven't been mistaken. She will be a fiery one indeed, maybe I'll write something about their growing family later. So here it is, the last chapter of this story, I hope you'll enjoy it and thank you very much to everybody who has bothered reading this story, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you for ever review I have received, hugs for all.

**Chapter Thirteen: Born of fire**

Behold, a new dawn is rising

It is bringing new hope new life

Never fear the dark my dear

Cause its power will fade

And the light will rule forever more

Thilian was sitting on one of the many balconies, she was sewing on a dress and she enjoyed the heat of the midday sun. Tauriel was sitting beside her, the warrior was trying to stitch together a new belt for her husband and the two women were chatting and enjoying each -others company. Thilian and Tauriel were rather different but they had become very close friends none the less and the new peace and calm within the realm Thranduils return had brought had been good for everyone. Thilian had managed to become a very loved and respected queen in very little time. The ladies of the court had been a little reluctant to approach her at first and she had been smart and managed to speak with each of them alone. Soon they all saw the new queen as their new and very good friend and they were all extremely loyal to her. It was a good thing and Thilians kind heart and gentle way of treating others made the whole population just adore her. And they loved her even more for having transformed their rather ill-tempered king into a softer and far wiser man. He was a stronger leader and a far better one and Legolas had returned to his old self too, he was so happy it was contagious and people were joking a little about the way he and his wife often just disappeared for a while and returned looking both disheveled and sweaty.

Thilian sighed, she felt so darn heavy and uncomfortable but it was a small price to pay. She had told him the good news a couple of months after their arrival at Mirkwood and Thranduil had actually been crying. She had never seen him that emotional and he had treated her as if she was made from the most fragile of materials since that day. Thilian was slightly annoyed by it, she was strong but he did not listen. He had arranged for the very best midwives to take care of her and she felt safe. But off course she was a bit scared, it was her first child and she knew that childbirth was no easy task.

Ghuad had returned and they would not use the portal again until the baby was born, she just hoped that it would be soon, she felt like a hippo! The men were so busy with organizing the defense of the realms and everything else. The shadow in the east had been growing ever stronger and she knew that Legolas had been summoned to a council in Imladris. Rumors told that representatives off all the races were called there, that something had been found. Legolas was a bit reluctant to leave but he knew his father had to stay there. Thilians baby could come any day now and he did want to be there for her. The midwives had been a bit confused, they had no idea of how long her pregnancy would last and they finally concluded that twelve months would be a guess as good as any. And it appeared that they were right, she was getting ready and now she was just looking forward to being done with it so she could meet her daughter. Everything was prepared and she knew that her husband was more nervous than she was. Tauriel was swearing to herself and grinned, she was no seamstress at all. She loved to be a captain and she still had her title and job. She just had a little more freedom and she enjoyed it immensely. She stared at Thilian who was elegantly finishing her work. Tauriel had been jealous when Thilian and Thranduil made the official announcement and told everybody of the child they were expecting. She wanted a child too but nothing had happened yet, even though she and Legolas were enjoying a lot of love making on a daily basis. She blushed, they had almost been caught red handed in the stables the day before and just luck had prevented that the stable boys had seen things they absolutely had no business seeing. Oh how she longed for the blessing Thilian and Thranduil had received.

Thilian sighed and put down her work, she rubbed her back and grimaced. Her back was aching like crazy but she was used to it by now, weird, the pain was stronger than usual. She moaned and Tauriel looked up, a bit worried. "Are you alright Thilian?"

Thilian smiled, she rubbed her back but the pain did not lessen even a bit. Instead it suddenly got far worse, as if a sort of spasm shot through her lower back and belly. She gasped, these were not just muscle cramps, they were real contractions. She was going into labor and she became pale. "Oh by the Valar, it is time!"

Tauriel got on her feet, she was staring at Thilian with huge eyes. "What am I to do? Tell me!"

Thilian gasped, she felt dizzy and nauseous and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She could not believe that it was finally happening. "Go tell the midwives and Thranduil, and help me get back inside."

Tauriel grabbed her arm and Thilian waddled back into the rooms, she sat down in a chair and moaned as a new contraction grabbed a hold of her. Tauriel ran like she had a dragon chasing her and was gone and before long Thilian could hear running feet. The healer and the midwives arrived and Thranduil with them. His face was white and he looked terrified. Thilian had to laugh at his expression. "Do not look so fearful my love, I am going to have a baby, not be fighting an army or anything of that magnitude."

Thranduil did not look a bit more at ease and he was clinging on to her hand. The midwives examined her and Thilian knew that this could last for a while. Tauriel returned too and she had allowed the warrior to be present during the birth. Tauriel was her best friend and she needed someone there who wasn't too emotional. Thilian bit her teeth together as a particularly bad one hit her and she winced when she felt a gush of hot liquid running down her legs. The healer smiled. "The water broke, good, this is going well"

Thilian moaned and Thranduil was whispering soothing words to her but his voice was shivering. He felt so helpless, so utterly out of his comfort zone. Normally a father to be would be kept out of the room until the baby was born but he refused to leave her and now he was beginning to doubt the wisdom of that decision. They helped her over into the bed and put her into a loose nightgown, they removed every knot they could find, even the ones they found in the curtains. It was superstition of course but it was common practice. Tauriel was standing by the bed and she was no longer jealous of Thilians condition, she was horrified. How could there be so much pain in bringing new life into the world?

Before long Thilian was moaning and sweating and panting and the midwives were scurrying around carrying hot water and blankets and preparing the crib and everything. Thranduil was suffering with her, he had not been there when Legolas was born, he had no idea of how hard this really was for a woman. The healer had given him strict orders to stay away from her for the last month of the pregnancy and he had obeyed willingly. He did not want to hurt her or the baby in any way but he missed her embrace. And now this, he was sweating just as much as her. As the hours passed and the birth started for real he wished he could go and slay some orcs or something, she was screaming in agony and he was on his knees beside the bed begging her for forgiveness for what he had done to her. Thilian had told him that they both were guilty in causing this and she had wanted it, he should not worry that much. But it was damned hard not to worry when the woman he loved above everything in the world was laying there screaming and panting and he could do nothing to ease her pain.

Tauriel was pale too and close to swooning and the midwife told her to get lost. Tauriel obeyed and left, the midwife knew that this could become so traumatic to witness that Tauriel would develop a severe phobia for births and that could become a very serious problem if she ever was to conceive. The midwives had seen their fair share of young mothers to be who were so terrified they had to be sedated.

Thilian needed to push, she wanted to push but the elleths told her to wait, her body had to prepare properly before the baby could be born, if she pushed now she would damage herself. Thilian gasped and yelled, the agony was unbearable but still they would not let her push. She was getting afraid that something was wrong but the healer and the midwives were all very calm and so she trusted them. Thranduil was wiping the sweat off her forehead and the healer helped her getting into a better position, it was getting closer now and she prayed it would be over soon. She could not understand how she could survive this much pain. Thranduil was crying and shivering and she felt how his hand was shaking. She pitied him, he was so afraid and she smiled at him and tried to cheer him up. "Do not worry my love, it is just natural"

He stared at her and grimaced, he should not have been there at all, but he was too proud to leave now. The midwife who was in charge examined Thilian again, the poor girl screamed again and the elleth nodded and smiled gently. "You have enough opening, you can start to push now, just remember to breathe"

Thilian sobbed with relief, she was finally allowed to do what her body had told her to do for hours or so it seemed and she started to push even though the pain was worse than ever. She almost roared and pushed and the midwives brought her legs up and held her, she felt safe but the pain and the feeling of being unable to control her own body was uncomfortable to say the least. She could no longer focus on him, she had to think only of the job she was about to do and she had a strong flame of determination within her eyes. It felt like she was being torn apart completely but she heard the midwives praising her, encouraging her to push even harder down with every contraction. "She is crowning, it won't be long now"

Thilian could barely breathe, the pain was everywhere and her body was utterly out of control now. It followed its instincts and she screamed and pushed, pushed and screamed. Thranduil was just sitting there, he was in some sort of shock, he had never heard screams like that before, were they normal? How could anyone survive that much pain? He felt so sorry for her, so very sorry and he wished he could have taken the pain but he had a strong suspicion that a male would die if he was to endure something like this.

The very time itself seemed to stop, the pain and the struggle was everything there was, she could hear them talking to her but she was unable to understand anything, sparks were flying before her eyes, she was pushed beyond her normal limits and she was letting out one almighty roar as something seemed to come free within her and a huge weight slid from her body and out. She was gasping for air, the agony was gone but she was still in pain, just not so much. And then she heard it, that tiny squeaking noise which grew into a healthy piercing cry. She turned her head, her tired body and pain was forgotten, she needed her baby and she needed it now. The midwife was grinning, a very wide and wry grin. "Now that is something you don't see every day!"

Thilian looked down, the king of Mirkwood lay on the floor next to the bed completely passed out and she could not help it, she had to laugh. She was laughing so hard she didn't even notice that the midwife delivered her placenta and placed a couple of stitches in her. The healer hauled the unconscious ellon into a chair where he sat slumped forwards in a not very regal posture and Thilian did not stop laughing until she got her daughter placed in her arms. The baby opened her eyes for the first time, they were a deep shimmering color of bluish green and the irises were vertical slits, as her own. She was a dragon too and Thilian closed her eyes and thanked the Gods once more. "Oh Narya, my dear little one, I am sure you will become very happy, and blessed."

Thranduil woke up after a short while and met his new daughter, crying with joy and relief and then Tauriel and Legolas was allowed to meet the new member of the family as well. There was so much joy Thilian felt how her heart almost burst with it. Thranduil remained by her side for the rest of the day. He slept on the bed next to her and Thilian knew what complete bliss was now, she was complete. He was laying there stroking her hair and she smiled and kissed his hand. She giggled. "I remember those first words you said to me, do you still think I look delicious?"

He winced and then he grinned. "I have still no idea where that came from my love, but I am glad I said them. I would not have tried to find you again to apologize if I had been my usual polite self. I guess the Gods played me a prank. "

Thilian presses her face against his neck and sighed with contentment. "I am glad you did insult me, I would not have missed this for all in the world."

He stared into her eyes, cupped her chin. "I am so sorry you had to suffer this way."

She just smiled and kissed him. "It is inevitable, it is our proof of courage my dear, a woman's sacrifice to receive the greatest gift of all."

He nodded, felt a deep sensation of reverence. "You are so very brave, more courageous than anyone else I have ever met."

Thilian smiled and put her arm around him. "I will prove that courage more than once, somehow I know I will give you two more children, a boy and a girl."

He just nodded and she let her fingers glide through his hair. "I know things will be ok my love, I know that Legolas will come back from Imladris, that the enemy will be conquered and destroyed once and for all. I just know it, there will be fights and darkness and death but the light will prevail and win in the end. Our children will face a bright future."

He smiled but his smile was a bit sad too. "And when the time comes and the sea calls for us to sail into the west, will they follow us?"

Thilian had oceans of love and peace within her golden eyes. "My love, I am sure they will, the Gods will never break us apart, when the last elves leave this place we will be among them, all of us."

He pressed her closer to himself and closed his eyes. One day they would have to leave this behind, but until that day came this home would be a place of laughter and joy and peace and his heart was finally whole, finally completely healed. The love he never had believed in had healed it and his soul and it would never leave him again. As long as his family was happy and safe he was stronger and more adamant than ever before and in the knowledge of this he finally drifted off to sleep, holding his wife and daughter as close to his body as they were to his heart.


End file.
